The gentrification of Western Springs Stadium -Council evicts speedway – Ponsonby Rugby Club next?

ALL Black rugby great, Sir Bryan (B.G.) Williams with the future of Ponsonby Rugby Club, members of the under 6 team. At left coach Steve Livesay.

Those readers who follow local government reasonably closely will be aware of the public ceremonies held at the start of the council term in which newly elected members are sworn into office.

The oath is set out in schedule 7 of the Local Government Act.

“I, –  declare that I will faithfully and impartially, and according to the best of my skill and judgement, execute and perform, the best interests of (Auckland) the powers, authorities, and duties vested in, or imposed upon, me as (mayor, chairperson or member) of the (local authority) by virtue of the Local Government Act 2002,  the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 or any other Act” 

As the Auckland Council Governance Manual intones: “All elected members must make an oral declaration when taking office. This public declaration signals the high standards to which elected members are to be held. They are charged with making decisions in the best interests of the entire community, being the whole Auckland region for Governing Body members and the whole local board area for local board members.” 

While it is usual nowadays for many to read the oath in te Reo and often again in English, the problem is from what I have seen, in whatever language the oath is sworn, and how many times, too many local politicians appear not to understand or perhaps care about what they are swearing to.

I thought about this during the recent debate over the plans by the CCO ‘Tataki- Auckland Unlimited’ to evict Speedway from Western Springs Stadium where it has been a passionately followed, much-loved fixture for 95 years. One of the most important “duties vested in, or imposed upon” a councillor is the obligation to make decisions within the requirements set out in the Local Government Act. Part 6, dealing with ‘Decision-making’ states that councillors for instance “must… seek to identify all reasonable practicable options”; assess the ‘benefits and costs of each option’…  ‘give consideration to the views and preferences of persons likely to be affected by, or to have and in interest in, the matter’ – and so on. And then the Act moves on to ‘consultation’ – the requirements of which routinely receive only lip service nowadays. Whether it’s selling the public’s shareholding in Auckland International Airport or the Downtown Car Park Building, council’s key decisions are all-too-often predetermined. Consultation, if it happens at all, is the familiar charade of ‘Have your say’…and the council has its way.

Returning to Western Springs and the decision to shunt  Speedway out to Waikaraka Park, in my opinion neither Tataki – Auckland Unlimited (TAU), nor the council complied in any meaningful way with the mandatory decision-making requirements of the Act.

So what’s behind this? Well, this unfortunately was not disclosed. All we know from the agenda report is that TAU is seeking a ‘higher and better purpose’ for Western Springs. But from news media gossip we learn that TAU is talking to an American billionaire and local rich-listers about a new soccer club taking up residence at Western Springs.

Clearly also not included in TAU’s elitist-sounding ‘higher and better’ objectives is the Ponsonby Rugby Club which has been told its lease at Western Springs Stadium will not be renewed when it runs out in 2027.

Ponsonby Rugby Club is an Auckland icon. Founded in 1874 it is one of the oldest and biggest grassroots clubs in NZ, producing more All Blacks and Black Ferns than any other. It presently has eleven senior teams, five women’s teams, including the premier ‘fillies’ and perhaps most importantly 45 junior teams. 

And yet, just like those Aucklanders wanting to keep Speedway at Western Springs. Ponsonby Rugby representatives led by life-member, Sir Bryan Williams were effectively blocked from addressing the councillors.

My colleague Cr John Watson, an accomplished sportsman himself, is scathing about TAU.  Charging it with clear conflicts of interest. ‘The recent storm and flooding damage at Western Springs Stadium (January 2023) has been used to undermine Speedway at Western Springs.  It can be argued that remediation work for Speedway and Ponsonby Rugby has been delayed and manipulated to push Speedway and Ponsonby Rugby out.’

What sort of decision-making process is it when predetermination, haste, failing to disclose full information and strong-arm tactics are used, and where the views of Aucklanders with a long and passionate interest in the outcome are shut out? Disappointingly the decision to evict Speedway was carried by 11 votes to 8 (Mayor Brown and City Vision in support). The decision was one thing, how it was reached is in some ways even more concerning.

This article is published in the Ponsonby News December 2024 issue,