Te Papa has “deprioritised” plans for a south Auckland offshoot to focus on renewal projects, such as its new environment exhibition.
Nikki Macdonald, Te Papa puts Auckland offshoot on ice, again, Stuff, 17 Jul 2019
Te Papa’s controversial plans for a south Auckland museum and storage facility have been put on ice, again.
An internal memo from Te Papa management reveals the government asked the museum to shelve plans for a Manukau offshoot, following the May budget.
“One of the other outcomes of this Budget was that government has asked us to deprioritise work on Te Papa Manukau, as we focus on our infrastructure projects and on renewal. So for the time being, a project in Manukau is no longer a priority for Te Papa,” the memo read.
Originally proposed in 2013, the exhibition, education and storage facility planned for South Auckland’s Hayman Park was put on the backburner in 2015, after the government rejected its $40 million budget bid. But documents show it was resurrected as one of the museum’s seven “strategic priorities” for 2017-2021.
Originally proposed in 2013, the exhibition, education and storage facility planned for South Auckland’s Hayman Park was put on the backburner in 2015, after the government rejected its $40 million budget bid. But documents show it was resurrected as one of the museum’s seven “strategic priorities” for 2017-2021.
Auckland Council Manukau Ward councillor Alf Filipaina, who had been involved with the concept from the start, had not been told the museum project had again been shelved. He said the news was “so disappointing” and frustrating for those who had invested so much time in its planning.
“It was going to be so so cool … having something that would allow our youth and our community to have exhibitions from their own country … I’m hoping that it will still happen.”
Te Papa’s 2017 briefing to incoming Culture and Heritage Minister Jacinda Ardern said planning was “advanced” for a “new and exciting ‘Educational Museum'” in Manukau.
The briefing reiterated the need to move “a great deal of our collection” out of Wellington to manage earthquake risks and said the Auckland offshoot was a key part of the museum’s outreach programme.
A new business case was completed at the end of 2018.
