The annoy Helen review

When Chris Bishop announced a review of the conditions for Eden Park to host events, I did wonder if he did it purely to annoy Helen Clark. Probably, not but he has succeeded reports The Post:

It comes as former prime minister Helen Clark, who lives near the venue, has questioned why the Government is looking to boost Eden Park’s capacity to hold live events given the venue hasn’t managed to reach its existing concert quota.

The answer to this is obvious.

“These shows can only take place on certain days of the week, can only have a maximum duration of five hours, have to be finished by 11pm on weekdays, and can host no more than four concerts in a four-week period,” Bishop said on Monday.

So the argument against is weak.

“The current limits and conditions were not only imposed for local environmental impacts, but also for the wider commuting public, as major events at the park impact many roads, including most directly Sandringham Rd which is a major arterial route,” she said over text.

“Whether events are at Eden Park or elsewhere, the economic impact for Auckland is the same. The most appropriate stance for the Government would to be venue-neutral in its desire to attract events.”

Again a silly response. The issue isn’t whether an event is held at Mt Smart or Eden Park. It is about whether the events come to Auckland at all.