June 20, 2025 • 7 mins
This weekend’s Super Rugby Pacific final is being billed as the perfect way to send off Apollo Projects Stadium at Addington Raceway.
The stadium is being replaced by the One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha – which is set to open in late April.
Current Speaker of the House, Gerry Brownlee was one of the driving forces behind the construction of the Apollo Projects Stadium in the wake of the Canterbury Earthquakes.
He joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about what it took to get that project started and completed in the 100 days they’d given themselves to do it.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Speaker of the House, clearly everybody knows is the
right Honorable Jerry Bronley. And of course, back in twenty eleven,
the Honorable Jerry Branley was the Earthquake Minister on behalf
of the government and one of the pieces was the
dream around getting a temporary stadium. Crusaders, we know in
twenty eleven had to play every one of their Super
(00:21):
rugby games away and that was the catalyst for getting
something up and running in the city which was so
batted and bruised at that stage. And the Speaker of
the House, the Right Honorable Jerry Branley, joins me, now.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Do you often think back to the think tank that
you had to get that temporary stadium up and running?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Well, yes, I suppose. There were so many things going
on at the time. I think the overarching concern was
making sure that the city didn't unnecessarily depopulate, which it couldn't,
and part of that was ensuring that there were the
sort of civic facilities that keep a community together. And
the Christinators was speak parlat it became a kind of
(01:01):
I think symbolic in a way because that season they
had away wasn't very pleasant for anyone, certainly not for
the players and nor for the fans. Though the opportunity
was sort of sought and found and put together. It
was not cheap, but I think it was money very
well spent.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
But how on earth did it get built in one
hundred days.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, we had a great team led by a guy
called Nebil Harris who was a very experienced civil servant
but a great business brain on him, you have to say,
and he really pulled a whole lot of things together.
And my role was really receiving the reports, making sure
that everyone knew that there was a deadline and it
was an expectation that it would be met. So it
(01:46):
was a great effort by contractors as well as the
Neville and his team who really put the nose to
the grindstone.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Look, I remember there were the lights that they came
from Dunedin's Caras Brook. I think, the turf and the
gold from Lancaster Park. The seating, I think there was
a bit from Eden Park. Wasn't there from the Rugby
World Cup?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Yeah? It was borrowed from all over the place and
the lighting lights came out of Karrasbrook. All we needed
to do was apart from install them, they had to
have new lamps or they call them lamps and the
bowls in them. So that was a big bonus. Getting
all that setting from just about everywhere, including Lecaster Park
was quite a bonus as well. And then I think
(02:29):
that the fact that we were able to get the
such deep structures underneath them very very quickly. So some
of those foundations there's big concrete pieces that you walk
in us six feet deep or one point eight meters deep.
They quite a sizable block that it's all built on.
But yet it was all done very quickly. The drainage
(02:49):
has been good in that facility, and the turf has
stayed remarkably good condition.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well it has, and when you think that it was
meant to be decommissioned in twenty sixteen and look where
we are now twenty two.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah, that's true, but it actually had a longer life
than that. That plastic material that covers the stands has
a life of I think a guaranteed life about thirty years.
I can't no one was ever wanting it to last
that long, but you had to anticipate that things might
not go entirely plan and that's why. I also we
put in that plan's facility that is at the sort
(03:24):
of western end of that ground.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Oh yes, yes, Did you ever envisage that it would
become such a crucial part of not only the physical
rebuild of the city, but the psychological rebuild.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Oh? I think at the start that was very much
part of the motivation. You know, there was all sorts
of plans for the Crusaders to temporarily relocate to other
parts of the franchise, but also north Shore was considered
as an option, I know, and you know none of
that would have worked as well as having them back
in the city. Excuse me, And I remember the opening
(04:00):
out of that just how inversity was the sellout and
how pleased people were that it was back, and it
was just a buzz right across the city, which was
for the time quite unusual because there was still a
lot of people facing very very difficult circumstances.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Oh yes, that was twenty fourth and March of I
remember correctly, and we played the Cheetahs, which was quite unbound.
But it was a very emotional.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Night, I certainly was. It sort of also was an
occasion that proved it was absolutely the right thing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
To do when we look right now at what's happening
with christ which the palpable vibe that we have in
the city, the fact that Metro and PARACIORI will come
on stream later this year, then Ti Kaha next year.
You must have a sense of pride with everything that
you did, Jerry Brownlee, Yeah, it wasn't just me.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I mean you had a great group of people. I
think the job I had was ready just to hold
the line, to be firm on the decisions that were
made and not buckle to all the you know, various
sort of pressure groups that were around essentially not wanting
to do things. You know, you also have in the
back of your head, and I did a huge amount
of reading about how disasters get recovered from. Is that
(05:12):
timelines always slip, and so unless you have a constant
visual appearance of things getting better, then you're on the
back foot. And I think one of the pleasing things
for me is that the plan that we initially put
in place, the one hundred day Plan or whatever it
was eventually called, has not been deviated from. So we
do have, you know, one of the best criticet grounds
(05:34):
possibly in the world for both provincial and international cricket.
We've got great facilities coming with that sports center, no
doubt about that, and the stadium will just add to that.
And then of course you can add into that things
like the court theater building now right in the center
(05:55):
of the city. That land was made available for the
court facility. Those sort of things just make a bit
of a difference over long a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
One of the purposes of my call this morning was
to say thank you because in a time where as
you mentioned earlier, there was so much turmoil and the
fact that something has been done. And while people might
look and say, well, that took a long time, but really,
in the essence of how a city evolves in a rebuild,
in that sense, you have done a magnificent job and
(06:25):
we're really grateful.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Well, that's very nice for you to say, but I
always say that, you know, we were lucky that so
many people decided to stay in christ Chitch and to
particularly reinvest in christ Jitcher. And you look at some
of the you know, quite beautiful buildings that have been
put up. People had other choices and they made them here,
and I think that's going to be recognized as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
True, Well, can I ask you finally, then, what the
school line may be in the Crusader's Chief Super Rugby
Final twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, as long as it's one point in favor of
the Crusader, So I'm not too worried about what the
end score is. I just think the Crusaders have had
a great season, fantastic comeback, and I think to be
just so wonderful for the final game at that stadium
to also be a win to the Crusaders be sort
of like a top of the hat towards the Canabory
community for all that has been done here.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, right, honorable Speaker of the House, mister Derry Browne,
thank you very much, and we will just wait and
see what happens in the end. We just are so
glad that it's happening.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
That's very true. Go to the Crusaders for more from
News Talks B Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on Irradio
The Speaker of the House, clearly everybody knows is the
right Honorable Jerry Bronley. And of course, back in twenty eleven,
the Honorable Jerry Branley was the Earthquake Minister on behalf
of the government and one of the pieces was the
dream around getting a temporary stadium. Crusaders, we know in
twenty eleven had to play every one of their Super
(00:21):
rugby games away and that was the catalyst for getting
something up and running in the city which was so
batted and bruised at that stage. And the Speaker of
the House, the Right Honorable Jerry Branley, joins me, now.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Do you often think back to the think tank that
you had to get that temporary stadium up and running?
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Well, yes, I suppose. There were so many things going
on at the time. I think the overarching concern was
making sure that the city didn't unnecessarily depopulate, which it couldn't,
and part of that was ensuring that there were the
sort of civic facilities that keep a community together. And
the Christinators was speak parlat it became a kind of
(01:01):
I think symbolic in a way because that season they
had away wasn't very pleasant for anyone, certainly not for
the players and nor for the fans. Though the opportunity
was sort of sought and found and put together. It
was not cheap, but I think it was money very
well spent.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
But how on earth did it get built in one
hundred days.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, we had a great team led by a guy
called Nebil Harris who was a very experienced civil servant
but a great business brain on him, you have to say,
and he really pulled a whole lot of things together.
And my role was really receiving the reports, making sure
that everyone knew that there was a deadline and it
was an expectation that it would be met. So it
(01:46):
was a great effort by contractors as well as the
Neville and his team who really put the nose to
the grindstone.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Look, I remember there were the lights that they came
from Dunedin's Caras Brook. I think, the turf and the
gold from Lancaster Park. The seating, I think there was
a bit from Eden Park. Wasn't there from the Rugby
World Cup?
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Yeah? It was borrowed from all over the place and
the lighting lights came out of Karrasbrook. All we needed
to do was apart from install them, they had to
have new lamps or they call them lamps and the
bowls in them. So that was a big bonus. Getting
all that setting from just about everywhere, including Lecaster Park
was quite a bonus as well. And then I think
(02:29):
that the fact that we were able to get the
such deep structures underneath them very very quickly. So some
of those foundations there's big concrete pieces that you walk
in us six feet deep or one point eight meters deep.
They quite a sizable block that it's all built on.
But yet it was all done very quickly. The drainage
(02:49):
has been good in that facility, and the turf has
stayed remarkably good condition.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well it has, and when you think that it was
meant to be decommissioned in twenty sixteen and look where
we are now twenty two.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Yeah, that's true, but it actually had a longer life
than that. That plastic material that covers the stands has
a life of I think a guaranteed life about thirty years.
I can't no one was ever wanting it to last
that long, but you had to anticipate that things might
not go entirely plan and that's why. I also we
put in that plan's facility that is at the sort
(03:24):
of western end of that ground.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
Oh yes, yes, Did you ever envisage that it would
become such a crucial part of not only the physical
rebuild of the city, but the psychological rebuild.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Oh? I think at the start that was very much
part of the motivation. You know, there was all sorts
of plans for the Crusaders to temporarily relocate to other
parts of the franchise, but also north Shore was considered
as an option, I know, and you know none of
that would have worked as well as having them back
in the city. Excuse me, And I remember the opening
(04:00):
out of that just how inversity was the sellout and
how pleased people were that it was back, and it
was just a buzz right across the city, which was
for the time quite unusual because there was still a
lot of people facing very very difficult circumstances.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Oh yes, that was twenty fourth and March of I
remember correctly, and we played the Cheetahs, which was quite unbound.
But it was a very emotional.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Night, I certainly was. It sort of also was an
occasion that proved it was absolutely the right thing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
To do when we look right now at what's happening
with christ which the palpable vibe that we have in
the city, the fact that Metro and PARACIORI will come
on stream later this year, then Ti Kaha next year.
You must have a sense of pride with everything that
you did, Jerry Brownlee, Yeah, it wasn't just me.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
I mean you had a great group of people. I
think the job I had was ready just to hold
the line, to be firm on the decisions that were
made and not buckle to all the you know, various
sort of pressure groups that were around essentially not wanting
to do things. You know, you also have in the
back of your head, and I did a huge amount
of reading about how disasters get recovered from. Is that
(05:12):
timelines always slip, and so unless you have a constant
visual appearance of things getting better, then you're on the
back foot. And I think one of the pleasing things
for me is that the plan that we initially put
in place, the one hundred day Plan or whatever it
was eventually called, has not been deviated from. So we
do have, you know, one of the best criticet grounds
(05:34):
possibly in the world for both provincial and international cricket.
We've got great facilities coming with that sports center, no
doubt about that, and the stadium will just add to that.
And then of course you can add into that things
like the court theater building now right in the center
(05:55):
of the city. That land was made available for the
court facility. Those sort of things just make a bit
of a difference over long a long period of time.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
One of the purposes of my call this morning was
to say thank you because in a time where as
you mentioned earlier, there was so much turmoil and the
fact that something has been done. And while people might
look and say, well, that took a long time, but really,
in the essence of how a city evolves in a rebuild,
in that sense, you have done a magnificent job and
(06:25):
we're really grateful.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Well, that's very nice for you to say, but I
always say that, you know, we were lucky that so
many people decided to stay in christ Chitch and to
particularly reinvest in christ Jitcher. And you look at some
of the you know, quite beautiful buildings that have been
put up. People had other choices and they made them here,
and I think that's going to be recognized as well. Well.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
True, Well, can I ask you finally, then, what the
school line may be in the Crusader's Chief Super Rugby
Final twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Well, as long as it's one point in favor of
the Crusader, So I'm not too worried about what the
end score is. I just think the Crusaders have had
a great season, fantastic comeback, and I think to be
just so wonderful for the final game at that stadium
to also be a win to the Crusaders be sort
of like a top of the hat towards the Canabory
community for all that has been done here.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Well, right, honorable Speaker of the House, mister Derry Browne,
thank you very much, and we will just wait and
see what happens in the end. We just are so
glad that it's happening.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
That's very true. Go to the Crusaders for more from
News Talks B Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on Irradio
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