Court action under way to stop Golden Mile

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

Former Wellingtonian of the year Mark Dunajtschik is part of the group that launched legal action against the Wellington City Council.

A group that includes a Wellingtonian of the Year has launched court action to stop a planned $139 million revamp of the Golden Mile.

Guardians of the Golden Mile confirmed on Tuesday it had started High Court action against the Wellington City Council seeking a judicial review of its decision to fund the Golden Mile revamp.

“It is becoming increasingly apparent the council is financially overcommitted and cannot meet the cost of this work (or its share of the work if its joint venture partners still support the project),” a statement from the lobby group says.

“Rather the full cost will be met by the average ratepayer possibly at the expense of necessary council expenditure, including repairs to major infrastructure.

“The concerning matter at its core is that Wellington City Council wishes to be bold, spending ratepayers’ money, on a project that does not make economic or business sense, and that its decision making in respect of the project has fallen well below the required standard.”

The Golden Mile revamp, which will overhaul the stretch from Courtenay Place to the railway station, involves pedestrianisation of much of it.

The $139m cost, 49% paid for by the council with Waka Kotahi paying the rest, was already on shaky ground: It was part of the wider Let’s Get Wellington Moving overhaul which the incoming National government vowed to scrap. The contract for the bulk of the work was still not signed last week.

Let’s Get Wellington Moving images showing the detailed designs for the plan to pedestrianise Wellington’s Golden Mile.

Guardians of the Golden Mile was started by a group of mostly businesspeople opposed to the project and includes 2017 Wellingtonian of the year Mark Dunajtschik.

The group argued the business case for the Golden Mile project was flawed and that alternative solutions had not been properly considered.

“The funding decision should be dropped in favour of a full review and genuine consultation with Wellingtonians, who are entitled to be fully informed on the benefits and costs of the Golden Mile project,” a statement from the group said.

“Further, this is a cost burden for all Wellington ratepayers for many years to come, by way of rates payment increases to fund, what now appears to be, a council vanity project lacking a solid economic foundation or business case.”

Council spokesperson Richard MacLean confirmed the council had been notified the court papers had been filed.

“Of course, we will certainly be defending our position.”

Greater Wellington Regional councillor Thomas Nash, a staunch defender of the Golden Mile works, said Wellington consistently voted in pro-Golden Mile councillors and had just voted in two Green MPs, who backed the work. This meant the city council had a mandate to do the project, he said.

Mayor Tory Whanau and councillor Rebecca Matthews, both Golden Mile supporters, would not comment on the judicial review while it was before the courts.