Government set to launch new ‘major events’ fund
Tuesday, 9 September 2025
The Government is set to launch a major events fund in the hope of boosting the tourism and major events sectors.
Music events and concerts are said to be eligible for the new fund.
The news comes after a string of international acts bypassed New Zealand to play exclusively in Australia.
The Government is set to launch a “one-off” major events fund, which it hopes will help boost international visitor numbers and drive economic growth.
The news comes as event promoter Live Nation admitted getting international artists to tour New Zealand was a challenge.
Over the past year, big names such as Lady Gaga, Oasis, and Kendrick Lamar have announced Australian shows but skipped New Zealand, leading calls from inside the local events industry for government support to attract artists back to these shores.
On Tuesday, the office of Tourism Minister Louise Upston confirmed to Stuff that the minister would have more to say about the fund soon, adding that the Government’s Quarter 3 action plan “specifically references” the launch of the fund.
Upston’s office said that tourism and major events were “clearly” key drivers of the New Zealand economy, with domestic and international tourism expenditure at $44.4 billion and supporting more than 300,000 jobs.
Although questions from Stuff on the amount the fund went unanswered, The Post reported that industry insiders said it could be around $10 million.
During his post-Cabinet press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he wanted more major event funding.
“It’s not a surprise that I have said that I want to expand major events funding. I think that it is really important that we are competitive, that we are able to attract major events to New Zealand.
“It’s really important for economic activity, economic development, regional economic development,” he said.
Currently, promoters can access funds for events from the Government’s Major Events Fund worth $60m.
However, concerts and music festivals are excluded from this fund, something The Post reported will not be the case with the new fund.
Luxon had previously said a new events fund would form part of a “total rethink” on major events, with the aim of treating them as something that can stimulate the economy.
“I think that is something that is genuinely stimulating economic activity. You need to because it’s a pipeline of activity,” Luxon told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.
“You’ve actually got to stuff it with things that may not pay off just this month, but actually will pay off in a year or two ahead as well.”
Getting big-name artists back to New Zealand has become a hot topic of discussion in the last year, with the cost of touring and infrastructure listed as reasons for artists bypassing Aotearoa.
As reported by music blog Boiler Room, at an events conference last week, head of Live Nation NZ Mark Kneebone admitted New Zealand had fallen behind Australia in the “pecking order”.
Kneebone also said there was a 10-15% cost increase in putting on a show in New Zealand compared to Australia and that New Zealand as a touring destination was in a “state of flux”.
Attempts have been made to draw more artists to these shores, with Eden Park even granted resource consent to hold 12 shows at the venue per year, double the six previously allowed.
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has also floated the idea of a bed levy, which he says could bring in around $27m to help attract overseas events to the city.
The Government is not keen on that idea, with Minister for Auckland Simeon Brown labelling it a new tax.
Over the last year, Pink, Travis Scott, Coldplay, Luke Combs, and Pearl Jam have all played stadium shows in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, Metallica is set to play at Eden Park in November, and Ed Sheeran is touring in 2026.