NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown is backing the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s request for the government to help top up its cash flow.

Most of the museum has been open to the public since October, after asbestos was found in the almost 100-year-old building, forcing a five month shut-down. But the Te Marae Ātea Māori Court and Pacific galleries are still closed off due to asbestos risk.

Auckland Museum chief executive David Reeves said the cost of removing the asbestos, estimated to be more than $10 million, and the impact of the months-long closure on revenue had put the museum in a precarious financial position.

The museum had already disbanded 31 roles, 14 of which were already vacant.

“We’ve already, unfortunately, had to go through a restructure last year of needing to reduce our staffing by 10 percent,” Reeves told RNZ.

“That’s never an easy exercise to go through, but it was very necessary to try to balance the books for this immediate year. We really don’t want to cut any further services, and we’re being very, very careful about cost control.”

The museum was in the middle of a three-year funding agreement with Auckland Council, receiving roughly $35m of Auckland ratepayers’ money each year.

But in its draft annual plan released this year, the museum projected that public funding, either from the council, the government, or public donations, would need to increase to over $40m a year in the coming years: $46.01m in FY 2027-2028 and $47.80m in FY 2028-2029.

Reeves said the increase was necessary to maintain the building, which they had been in since 1929.

“At the moment, the council is our primary public funder. It is up for conversation, I think, whether it might be time for the central government to chip in.

“We want to do our very best to keep it in good condition and keep the experiences refreshed. We don’t want 30 to 40-year-old exhibitions, which, some of them in some parts of the building, are getting really tired. That’s not really Auckland putting its best foot forward.”

He said the heritage building had unique challenges, making it expensive to look after.

“If we were in a more modern building, our building costs would possibly be lower, and we would still run a very effective museum. I’m not suggesting for a minute that we move to a different building, because this beautiful building is very much part of us.

“But the sums that we’re doing at the moment are to properly identify those costs and be transparent with the public, the council, and the government about what it takes to keep this magnificent facility going.”

He said the museum was committed to not charge Aucklanders an entry fee, but increasing how much other visitors paid or the price to see special exhibitions was on the table.

“Charging Aucklanders is something I’m personally very opposed to and the board are supportive of that. Aucklanders have already paid through their rates and that’s part of the deal.

“We’ve done modelling on what would happen if we did have a door charge for Aucklanders. Our total revenue would actually go down because it would become a real disincentive to visit.”

Auckland Museum asset manager Eddy Howell said having the financial support it needed would ensure the museum could be enjoyed by future generations.

“They need to see what we saw and what our predecessors saw. A lot of people whakapapa to this place. Their family was in the war, their names are up on the walls. It’s a piece of history that needs to continue.

“It’s also one of the largest limestone buildings in the country. It has a lot of unique features. The masons who worked on the building back in the day did it all by hand. It does need to be repaired and brought back to the state that it was in 1929.”

Associate project manager of public programmes Hannah Temara said the museum still has a lot of value.

“We as a museum protect and hold so much taonga and knowledge.

“It’s a special place to educate the newer generation and for the older generation to reminisce.”

Brown told RNZ the museum should charge a “modest” entry fee, he suggested possibly $5, to New Zealanders who lived outside of Auckland.

He also agreed the government should support the museum instead of Auckland Council forking out more money.

But Arts and Culture Minister Paul Goldsmith told RNZ it had no plans to help.

Auckland Council external partnerships manager Alastair Cameron said future funding for the museum would be considered by councillors in its 2027 planning.

“Council fully intends to engage with the museum to better understand the financial pressures it’s facing and to work collaboratively toward a good outcome for both the museum and the city, before any funding decisions are required.”

Deputy mayor Desley Simpson said she was aware of the museum’s financial challenges.

“As a courtesy and in the spirit of close collaboration, the museum gave us a heads-up about the challenges they are facing before the draft annual plan was released.

“As the arts and culture lead councillor, I have met informally with the board to discuss their challenges, and we will continue to have ongoing discussions.”

Public submissions on the museum’s annual plan close on Thursday and a hearing on the feedback received was expected to take place at the museum this month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Ministry of Social Development is planning to cut the number of security guards at Work and Income offices throughout the country.

Twenty jobs are set to go at 20 offices in regional towns next month – reducing the number of guards at these sites from three to two.

Security guards and unions are blaming cost-cutting and are alarmed at the safety risks the lay-offs pose, following the murders of two Ashburton Work and Income employees in 2014.

The Ministry of Social Development, which employs Allied Security as a contractor, told RNZ the changes aren’t driven by cost-cutting and follow safety upgrades and changes to office lay-out, including bringing outside guards inside.

E tū union said the offices affected are in Alexandra, Balclutha, Cambridge, Dannevirke, Feilding, Foxton, Gore, Greymouth, Marton, Matamata, Ngāruawāhia, Ōtaki, Queenstown, Stratford, Taihape, Te Kūiti, Wainuiomata, Waitara, Waiuku and Westport.

‘The risk is real at any office’ – security guard

Security guard Henare Eynon, who works in Marton, told RNZ he was worried for the safety of Work and Income staff, his colleagues and the public.

“Going from three guards to two guards is a significant change, it’s not just one person less, it’s a 50 percent increase for the remaining two, and the loss of a spare pair of eyes.”

In 2014, Russell John Tully walked into the Ashburton Work and Income offices armed with a shotgun and killed two staff members, Peggy Noble and Leigh Cleveland. Tully was sentenced to life in prison for murder.

Eynon said that could happen again.

“The risk is real at any office – it depends on the person that’s coming in, and what condition the person is in – there are a lot of mental health clients out there that will go off their rockers at times.”

He said while many clients are respectful, he’s dealt with dangerous situations over the past several years as a guard in the lower North Island – including a client threatening to drive into a Work and Income office, and another attempting to come inside with a knife.

One man threatened violence when he was asked to sign in at the front desk, Eynon said, but he talked him out of it.

“He says I’m coming over there to punch you in the f***ing head, and I said come on then, you’re welcome to try, but you’re going to end up in jail if you do that, and I said it calmly.”

Eynon said he’s not taking aim at his employer Allied Security or the Ministry of Social Development staff – but believes the government is behind a decision to cut costs.

Another security guard from the lower North Island, who RNZ has agreed not to name, said even small offices could deal with “nasty” experiences on a monthly basis.

“The vulnerability of the staff is a big concern to me, because once trouble happens, especially in small sites, it’s hard to get away from.”

He disagreed with a recent change to bring guards standing outside inside the offices.

“We have no ability to check people’s intoxication, mental health, level of aggression before they enter the building, and once they’re in, they’re in, and it’s far more difficult to get somebody out of an office, rather than just stop them at the door.”

E tū national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said the government and Allied Security should immediately stop the changes.

She said the Ashburton shooting drove MSD to employ extra security guards, and ensure three were stationed at each office.

“It’s as if everyone involved has forgotten about the tragic events that occurred in Ashburton, or they are willing to risk it happening again to save a few bucks?

“What we don’t know is any rationale for reducing the number of guards – we haven’t seen that – we don’t know whether the employer Allied Security has been provided that information from MSD, but certainly we haven’t seen it.”

Public Service Association national secretary Fleur Fitzsimmons said she had requested a full risk assessment from MSD over the changes, but that consultation with MSD workers at offices had so far not happened.

“There is widespread anxiety amongst staff over these changes.

“People come to these MSD offices in times in their lives which are distressing, and too often they take their frustrations out on staff. The security guards are an absolutely critical safety initiative for staff and members of the public,” Fitzsimmons said.

‘Confident’ we’ve responded to Ashburton – MSD

The killings in Ashburton prompted MSD to launch an internal review, and employ an extra 100 security guards at Work and Income centres.

Worksafe brought charges against MSD and in 2016, Judge Jan Doogue found the ministry had failed to ensure there was no physically unrestricted access to the staff working area.

Ministry of Social Development deputy chief executive for organisational and risk assurance, Melissa Gill, told RNZ MSD had invested $80 million over the last 10 years in a major upgrade to all its sites, including implementing lockdown zones and upgrading security equipment.

She said MSD took the safety of all staff and clients at offices seriously.

“I’m confident that we have responded to the events in Ashburton, we’ve had a concerted programme of work over the past 10 years, we’ve created safer and more secure spaces in our sites, we ensure our staff are well-trained and supported to respond to incidents should they occur.”

She said reducing guard numbers was not due to cost-cutting, but part of a review of security settings including a decision to move guards standing outside, inside.

Gill said MSD’s data had shown a drop in serious incidents being reported, and there would still be between two and five security guards across all 121 Work and Income offices.

She said the agency had done a risk assessment at every office, had “planned and tested” the specific changes over a number of years, and kept the PSA informed.

Gill said bringing the security guards inside was safer for them, and guards could watch for a client’s behaviour from inside offices.

“The guards receive training from Allied on how to observe people’s action as they are approaching an environment, so they are able to monitor that as the person is approaching the site.”

She said if a serious incident occurred, guards and staff were trained to go into lockdowns, and worked closely with the police.

Gill did not rule out further cuts to guards at other sites.

“It would be fair to say this is an ongoing programme of work but I can’t comment on that at the moment because we are still working through the process with our sites and with the PSA.”

Allied Security general manager of operations Chris McDowall said MSD advised the company of a change of operating model for selected sites within the wider contract.

He said Allied supported the changes following a trial in 2025.

“We expect minimal role losses as part of this process and remain focused on the wellbeing of our staff and all those affected by any change process.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Great photos, terrific facilities and enthusiastic crowds don’t necessarily mean Sail GP is a certainty for the city in the future

It’s got the action and suspense of a Hollywood blockbuster, it’s got movie star backing, it’s even got its own song, and the “carnage” in Fremantle has set the scene for SailGP racing in Auckland this weekend.

The pressure is on in more ways than one with the bottom-of-the-table Black Foils battling to get their boat, Amokura, repaired in time and to get points on the board after their big crash at the first event of the year in Western Australia last month.

Even the repair job has been a dramatic race against time, involving high tech work at SailGP’s headquarters in Southampton, England before the parts were flown back to Auckland to be put back together, says Sail-World‘s New Zealand writer Richard Gladwell.

He says the thrill of what he calls the Formula 1 of sailing kicked off in Freemantle in a reminder of the heydays of the America’s Cup in the 1980s.

“There was plenty of action, short sharp seas, these boats have never been sailed in conditions like that before,” he tells The Detail.

Interest has been fuelled by close-up videos posted on social media, being able to tap into the live race talk on the boats as well as the “UmpApp” or Umpire App.

It means that spectators can see what the umpires use to call who is wrong in the incident. In the case of the spectacular Freemantle crash it was the Black Foils.

“It was pretty obvious from the Umpire App that the New Zealand guys were in the wrong,” he says.

Kiwis playing catch up

But the Kiwi team’s chances of a win on Waitematā Harbour are as good as any of the top ranked boats.

“They should be in the top five. They’d be pretty disappointed if they weren’t,” Gladwell says.

Whether the Kiwis can claw their way back to the top by the end of 2026 and the 13 events around the world is another question.

“Instead of coming out of Freemantle with five points, they’ve got negative three.

“They’re going to be playing catchup for the other 12 events in the year.”

There are also big expectations of Auckland with ongoing doubts over its future as a host SailGP venue.

The city became the marquee event last year with its grandstand for 10,000 spectators perched on the edge of the water, and thousands more watching the foiling catamarans hitting speeds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.

“That really set the benchmark for all the other events,” says Gladwell. “The photo of the year was basically shot with the Black Foils heading into this wall of people on the grandstand. It’s spectacular stuff.”

So spectacular that SailGP organisers have played clips of the Auckland event to potential bidders around the world, showing this “massive grandstand with these boats hurtling in towards it literally throwing the spray on the spectators’ feed”.

But that’s no guarantee, with cities around the world clamouring to host the event, recognising its growing popularity to fans and financial backers.

“The problem with Auckland is that they find it very difficult to match the prices that are being offered overseas.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand