Wellington’s fale malae project a victim of arts funding changes

Thursday, 22 May 2025

An artist’s impression of the stalled fale malae project, which has had its funding from the Government withdrawn.

The Government has withdrawn its financial support of Wellington’s stalled fale malae, and is instead putting the funding towards projects including the capital’s national music centre, and ways to remember the Christchurch mosque attacks.

The decision reflects limited progress made since funding was first allocated to the fale falae project in 2020, according to Budget documents. Government support for the project will be reconsidered when a business case is accepted and resource consent is granted.

Only $2.7 million has been spent to date, compared with the $10m provided.

Of the remaining $7.29m, $690,000 will be returned to the Government. The rest, $6.6m, will go to a variety of other cultural initiatives over the next two years, the Government announced on Thursday.

They include: $2m for Wellington’s national music centre; $2m for officials to develop legacy options in remembrance of the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks; $1m to excavate and care for partial remains of a waka found on Chatham Island; $1.4m for officials to “develop strategic revenue and efficiency initiatives” across the arts, culture and heritage system; with the last $200,000 retained for other support for the cultural sector.

NZ Symphony Orchestra board chairperson Carmel Walsh said the music centre funding would go towards the fit-out of the Wellington Town Hall, which is due to reopen in early 2027.

Wellington’s national music centre project -- which was once described as the Juilliard of the South Pacific -- has faced delays due to problems with finding a suitable location.

“A public sector investment of this nature will give great confidence to private sector donors and other supporters as we actively continue our fundraising drive and work towards completion of the project,” Walsh said.

The Government has also axed funding for Heritage NZ, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and the National Library and Archives NZ.

Heritage NZ will have $6m cut from its operating funding from 2026/27 onwards, while the ministry will have $8m cut from its budget over the next four years.

The National Library and Archives NZ, which fall under the Department of Internal Affairs’ umbrella, will have their funding cut by a combined $8m over the next four years.

Radio NZ will have $18.4m cut from its funding over the next four years.

Radio New Zealand is taking a cut to its funding, equating to $18.4m over the next four years.

The Government has, however, increased NZ On Air’s funding by $6.4m over the next four years, to go towards local journalism. That funding will have a particular focus on local democracy and justice reporting schemes within communities.

Earlier this year officials consulted on the idea of merging NZ On Air with the Film Commission. No final decisions have been made.

In terms of the screen sector, the Government has, surprisingly, doubled down on its commitment to the rebate scheme ‒ both the domestic and international version ‒ despite Minister for Regulation David Seymour’s ideological opposition to rebates.

The Government announced $7.25m in funding for the domestic rebate scheme for the 2026/27 year with no funding confirmed beyond then, meaning its future will have to be considered in future Budgets.

The domestic rebate scheme offers eligible New Zealand productions a 40% cash rebate on qualifying local spend.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows, from left, Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Sebastian Hansen in a scene from A Minecraft Movie, which was shot entirely in New Zealand.

Last week, as part of a pre-Budget announcement, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced $576.8m in new funding for the international version of the rebate scheme.

That rebate offers international productions that choose to produce or film their big screen projects in Aotearoa a 20% cash rebate on qualifying spend, with other uplifts available for particular productions.

Willis previously said she wanted to send a clear message, that New Zealand was the best place in the world to make movies.

The new funding would help accommodate demand for the scheme, meaning more productions will be able to access it if they choose to shoot here.

But attracting them here in the first place, and accommodating them within New Zealand’s limited studio space, are other matters altogether.

Irene Gardiner, president of the screen producers guild, said it was great the Government recognised the number of international productions working in New Zealand was growing.

“It’s also important to remember this is not really new money coming into the screen sector. It’s just making sure we can continue to make the international rebate work for the NZ economy,” she said.

The guild hoped the Government may, in future, make some minor enhancements to the domestic rebate scheme’s settings, to make more productions eligible.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said $690,000 would be returned to the Fale Malae Trust. That money will in fact be returned to the Government. (Amended 4.10pm, May 23, 2025)