Leaders still hopeful for Auckland Te Papa plans

Thursday, 26 July 2018

 Plans to bring Te Papa collections to Auckland might still be on hold, but community leaders are positive it will happen someday.

A $40 million project to establish Te Papa Manukau will see a new museum and storage facility open in the hub of south Auckland.

The project has been in the pipeline for five years, but it has yet to receive financial backing after the Government declined its budget bid in 2015.

Despite that, key players are still hopeful it will get off the ground.

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A spokesperson for Te Papa says the board is still committed to the concept but could not comment further beyond that.

Auckland Council Manukau councillor Alf Filipaina says the leadership group is constantly talking to the Government to make sure the plan isn't forgotten.

'Hopefully by the the end of this year it will have gone to the Government and it will become a commitment,' Filipaina says.

First announced in 2013, the Te Papa Manukau project was to be a shared exhibition facility at Hayman Park to provide extra storage space for the Wellington museum.

Auckland Council has dedicated nearly 4 hectares of land space for the facility, while Panuku Development Auckland also included it in its Transform Manukau project.

In an October 2017 briefing to incoming Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who holds the arts and culture portfolio, the museum said there was advanced planning in place for the facility.

It said that Te Papa Manukau would help share more of its collections as well as build audiences in the 'youngest, fastest' growing part of Auckland.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chairwoman Lotu Fuli says she's been waiting for this to happen for a long time.

'This opportunity for south Auckland would be amazing. Lots of our kids can't get down to Wellington so this would be something that would be amazing for them,' Fuli says.

'There's been a lot of positive talk over the years but we watched for it in the Budget and nothing's come through.'

Fuli says it's in an ideal location being so close to MIT as well as the train station and newly opened bus depot.

'This is the best place to bring the Pacific collection, that's where it belongs . . . there just isn't a better spot.'