John MacDonald: Everyone should pay their way at Chch's new stadium

Christchurch City Councillor Yani Johanson thinks we should all pay a special levy when we buy tickets for all events at Christchurch’s new One New Zealand Stadium.

And he won’t be getting any argument from me.

Yani can’t believe the news today that a levy is only going to be charged on tickets for concerts by international artists.

He says it is “inconceivable” the levy won’t be charged for all events, including rugby matches and everything else that happens there, because he reckons it’s only fair that all people who use the stadium help pay for its upkeep.

No international acts have been announced yet but, apparently, there are going to be some announcements in the next few weeks.

And when the tickets go on sale, the council’s events company - Venues Ōtautahi - which is going to be running the stadium, is going to add a $5 levy to the ticket price.

The money from the levy is going to be used to pay for the extra toilets and extra food and drink facilities that are going to be needed when they have these big concerts.

So it sounds as if we might be queuing up for portaloos even though it’s a new flash harry facility.

The point Councillor Yani Johanson is making, is that anyone who wants to go to any event at the stadium should make the same contribution towards the running of the place.

He says: “A lot of these people buy expensive tickets to these events and are subsidised by the ratepayers in Linwood, Bromley and Aranui. I don’t think that is fair.”

But the head of Venues Ōtautahi, Caroline Harvie-Teare, says it wouldn’t be fair or right to charge a levy for all events.

Her thinking is that if you or I are buying tickets to see the likes of Bruce Springsteen or Pink or the Rolling Stones, we’re not going to give two-hoots about a $5 levy on top of the ticket price.

But she says it would be a different story for some of the smaller-scale, community-type events that are also going to be held at the stadium.

She says a levy on those types of events could put some people off and so they would be less viable. But what I would say to that, is that the stadium is not a charity and if events can’t pay their way, then maybe they need to be held somewhere else.

What’s more, do you really think a $5 levy would put people off buying tickets to see the All Blacks or the Crusaders? Of course not. Do you think a $5 levy would put people off buying tickets to see the rugby league world cup double-header in October? Or the Black Ferns when they play here?

So, of course, this levy should be added to the ticket prices for every event. Yani Johanson is spot on.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now don't talk about the stadium first up, because Christchurch
City councilor Yarnie Johansson thinks we should all pay a
special levy when we buy tickets for all events at
the city's new one New Zealand Stadium when it opens,
and he won't be getting any argument from me on
this one. You see, Yarne can't believe the news today

(00:35):
that a levee is only going to be charged on
tickets for concerts by international artists, and he says it's
inconceivable that the levee won't be charged for all events,
including rugby matches and everything else that happens here, because
he reckons it's only fair that people who use the
stadium help pay for its upkeep. Now, no international acts

(00:56):
have been announced yet, but apparently there are going to
be some announcements in the next few weeks, and when
the tickets go on sale for these international concerts, the
council's events company, Venues Autotahi, which is going to be
running the stadium, they're going to add a five dollars
levee to the price of every ticket, and the money
from the levee is going to be used to pay

(01:17):
for the extra toilets and the extra food and drink
facilities that are going to be needed when they have
these big concerts. So it sounds as if sounds as
if we might be coming up for Porterloo's, even though
it's a new Flash Harry facility. So the point Counselor
Jarni Johansson is making is that anyone who wants to
go to any event at the stadium should make the
same contribution towards the running of the place. Spot On.

(01:41):
He says, quote a lot of these people by expensive
tickets to these events and are subsidized by the ratepayers
and Linn Wood Bromly and Aranui. I don't think that's
fair again spot on. But the head of Venues Autotahi,
Caroline Harvey Tia, she says on it wouldn't be fair
or wouldn't be right to charge a levy for all events.

(02:03):
Here's why. Her thinking is that if you and I
are buying tickets to see the likes of say Bruce
Springsteen or Pink or the Rolling Stones, not that they've
been announced that they're coming here, but as an example.
So if we're buying tickets to see those guys, we're
not going to give two hoots about a five dollars
levee on top of the ticket price. But she says

(02:26):
it would be a very different story for some of
the smaller scale, community type events that are also going
to be held at the stadium. She says, if they
put a levee on those events, that could put some
people off and so they could be less viable, etc.
What I would say to that, Caroline, is that the
stadium's not a charity and if events can't pay their way,

(02:49):
then maybe they need to be held somewhere else. What's more,
let's think about it. Do you really think a five
dollars levee would put people off buying tickets to see
the All Blacks or the Crusaders? Of course not. Do
you think a five dollar levee would put people off
buying tickets to see the Rugby League World Cup, Double
Headed October, Treymond or the Black Ferns when they play here,

(03:11):
of course not. So absolutely, this levee should be added
to the ticket prices for every event at the stadium,
not just international concerts. And then we've got the people
who think us locals shouldn't be paying anything, well, should
be paying cheaper. We should be getting cheaper tickets than

(03:33):
people from everywhere else. Why is that because on we've
already paid for the stadium through rates. Now, Cameron, you're
one of the morning you say this five dollars levee
should be charged for all events like council are garning
your hands that are saying, but you also think a
second levee should be added on top of that for
people from outside Christchurch. I don't agree with that at all, Cameron.
I mean, there's already a precedent, isn't there for locals

(03:54):
paying less with the hot pools at New Brighton, locals
getting cheaper deals there. But I don't think we should
go down that track with the stadium because we will
all benefit big time. The money coming into town from
the stadium is going to be the forecasts say it'll
be about twenty one million dollars every year into the
local economy and that's enough of a payoff for my investment.

(04:15):
Thank you. Where are you on this one? A couple
of things. What's your reaction to the news that the
special levy is only going to be charged for big
international concerts at our new stadium. Just think they should
be applied to everything, Missianni Hansen says. And do you
think US locals should be made to pay any levy
at all when we already pay for the stadium through

(04:36):
our rates? What do you reckon?

Speaker 1 (04:38):
For more from Caterbory Mornings with John McDonald, listen live
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or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio