Chris Bishop: RMA Reform Minister on the proposal to increase the number of concerts at Eden Park

The Government wants more concerts at Auckland's Eden Park. 

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has written to Auckland Council seeking feedback on allowing up to 20 medium-sized concerts a year, on top of the 12 concerts it currently hosts. 

An economic report warns current restrictions could cost the city $432 million in lost income over the next decade. 

Bishop told Mike Hosking these changes will be good for Auckland. 

He says the zoning and rules are holding the city back, even if there's demand for more concerts. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Great concert debate as well Eden Park. Next step. What
have we got? Well, the Rama Minister's written to the
council wants feedback on twenty medium sized concerts. That's on
top of the twelve they're already allowed to have, so,
in other words, thirty two concerts a year under the
new RMA rules. The Minister's got the final say. The
Minister is, of course Chris Bishop, who's with us. Good morning,
Good morning. So in writing to the council, how could
you possibly object to more business?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, the law requires that I statutorily consult them, and
that's what we're doing along with the local community. They've
got twenty working days to respond and then hopefully we'll
be able to move on these Eden Park restrictions we reckon.
It's costing the Auckland economy probably four hundred million dollars
over the next ten years if we don't remove these
restrictions hundreds of jobs. So it's definitely something worth doing.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
So can we just say that if you're going to mine,
don't worry about it. You're going to go ahead and
do it anyway.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well, I can't say that, but I'm going to be
going to listen in good faith to all of the feedback,
as I'm required to do by the law. But it's
pretty clear. I think that anyone who looks at it
reasonably will locks at it that says, well, it's just
ridiculous that you can't have more than twelve it's per year,
you know, and by more than six different artists. So
we're proposing twenty large concerts, So ten large concerts per

(01:07):
year and twenty medium sized concerts. No restrictions on a
Sunday for example, much greater expansion of the time limits,
more variety shows and cultural shows at eden Park, you know,
more trade shows, things like that. All of these things
will be good for Auckland ultimately good for the economy.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
What's the timeframe on this, Oh, well, have done.

Speaker 2 (01:26):
By Christmas, So council's got twenty working days to respond
and then there's a bit of a cabinet process to
go through after that, but that's a matter of weeks.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
So we'll have it done hopefully by Christmas. So by
twenty twenty six Eden Park could be hosting up to
thirty two concerts per year.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yes, it will take effect almost immediately and it will
basically I will change the district plan through regulatory power
that I now have, and we gave the Parliament gave
me those powers in August this year, so we've moved
really quickly on this is.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
The demand there? I mean, will there be thirty two
e its?

Speaker 2 (01:59):
Well, wait and see. I mean, obviously Louise Upson's working
on this major events package and I'm told that there's
quite a degree of interest around the world in that.
But you know, the point is, if you've got the
zoning sorted and you've got the rules sorted, if the
demand is there, you can have it at the moment.
If the demands there, you can't, which is a ridiculous

(02:21):
state of affairs. So let's wait and see. I think
numbers will go up and down a bit over the
over the next few years, obviously, you know, depending on
you know, who's touring and demand and the economics and
all that stuff, all the things that are outside our control.
But the thing that is within our control, or it's
now within our control or soon to be, is you know,
the number of concerts you can have, the times you
can have them, all of those sort of rules around that.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
We can control that. And we're going to good to talk.
Do you appreciate it. Chris Bishop, the RNA Minister. The
weirdest thing, isn't it building facility you never use it.
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