Orana Park probe begins this month
Thursday, 13 June 2024
An external review into Orana Wildlife Park’s finances is expected to begin this month and take a year to complete, according to a Christchurch City Council report.
Although the park is considered a city - if not regional - icon, it was the local community board alone which agreed to bankroll the $50,000 review on Monday.
Jason Middlemiss, chairperson of the Waimāero Fendalton-Waimairi-Harewood Community Board, said his board effectively volunteered to fund the review after discussions with council staff and because of the park’s popularity.
About 14% of all submitters to the city council’s draft spending plan - almost 1000 people - want public money to be spent on supporting Orana Park.
The support followed a campaign led by Lynn Anderson, park chief executive, who said the park needed up to $1.5 million in public funding per year (starting with $500,000 in the first year) to meet its operating shortfall, and that she feared for the park’s “inevitable demise” without it.
Middlemiss said it made sense for his community board to be the one to step up, as the park was in their catchment and it had money available in it’s Better Off Fund.
The council could have gone to other boards to share the financial burden, he said, but it would have caused a delay.
He said BDO, an accountancy and business advisory company, is leading the review. The company will work with the park to understand its current operating model, find areas for improvement and long term financial savings, according to the council report.
It is unclear to what extent the review will also explore the park’s management and work culture, if at all.
A whistleblower told the Christchurch City Council last month they were concerned about the park’s high staff turnover, low morale and the leadership’s investment priorities. The council promptly agreed to do an external review, though interim chief executive Mary Richardson said it was part of due diligence.
Anderson called the letter (which was also sent to media) sensational and defamatory.
The Christchurch City Council was unable to confirm on Thursday if the review has officially begun, what the terms of reference is, and to what extent it will explore concerns raised in the whistleblower’s letter.