Axe WWL, says Waterfront Watch
24/05/2006 12:00:00 a.m.
WATERFRONT Watch wants Wellington Waterfront Ltd (WWL) wiped out.
At the watchdog group’s annual general meeting on Sunday, members passed a remit asking Wellington City Council to take direct responsibility for development on the waterfront following a highly critical Auditor General’s report on Wellington Waterfront Ltd’s handling of the Waitangi Park development.
The Auditor General last year found WWL’s handling of the $20 million project was flawed in a number of aspects. Among these: the tendering process was not properly planned or documented; the contractor did not leave written reports on progress; and WWL established a separate company, Waitangi Park Ltd, to manage the development creating conflict of interest issues – that company never traded as a company, was paid for by WWL and had senior WWL members as directors.
The report should have been a death knell for WWL, says Waterfront Watch president Pauline Swann.
"It is pretty disturbing reading – of the total mismanagement of ratepayer’s money," Swann says.
The project suffered a $4.9 million budget blow out and a break with the original contractor. Wellington City Council chief executive Gary Poole recommended Wellington Waterfront chairwoman Fran Wilde be dumped. However, Wilde was granted an additional three-year contract by council.
"He [Poole] is paid a lot of money to advise council on what should happen. To have it toss out his opinion is odd," Swann says.
The Auditor General also questioned the efficiency of the relationship between council and WWL, noting: "We understand that five different forums exist for reporting by Wellington Waterfront Limited to the Wellington City Council. There may be an opportunity to streamline some of this reporting."
Waterfront Watch says there are more than enough reasons to disband WWL and put waterfront development under the direct control of the council’s Urban Development division.
The watchdog group is also calling for the public to be given a chance to suggest alternative uses for the Overseas Passenger Terminal. The council is currently consulting on a plan to develop retail on the site.
Swann says it is odd that there is just one proposal under consideration, when the public has been asked for ideas on other waterfront sites.
"I don’t think they want the public to make choices anymore."
