Rotorua Museum’s redevelopment is unlikely to be impacted by the Government’s axing of council wellbeing objectives.
The Government introduced changes in July to make councils focus on core services, leaving some to question whether museums and libraries could face the chop.
However, Rotorua council leaders have downplayed concerns about how this could impact the museum and the district’s wider cultural footprint.
The Government bill removed the promotion of social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing from council remits, which had been reintroduced by the Labour Government in 2018.
Museums were listed in the bill as a core service, as were libraries, reserves and other recreational facilities, alongside core services such as infrastructure, public transport, waste management and civil defence.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell agreed that the ultimate importance for a council was to focus on core business.
However, she admitted there was initial concern around what this latest amendment might mean for the museum. She was “pleased” to see that museums remained a core service.
“The museum remains a top priority for us as a council,” said Tapsell.
“We’ve been fortunate to receive significant government support and funding already and that’s because we are managing the redevelopment very well.
“We thank the Government for their confidence in us being able to continue important community projects like this.”
When introducing the bill, Local Government Minister Simon Watts said local government had drifted from their core responsibilities.
He said it drew “a line in the sand” to refocus councils, with further reforms such as financial performance reporting and potential rates caps to follow.
‘The museum is a real treasure’
Rotorua Museum closed in November 2016 after failing New Zealand’s seismic standards. In 2019, the council voted to proceed with a major strengthening and redevelopment project.
Last May, full funding for the building cost was confirmed with estimated costs of $73.55m. An additional $5m in government funding secured the final shortfall.
The council announced in June that $1.2m in external funding has also been generated for the exhibition design.
Council chief executive Andrew Moraes said cultural appreciation was a bedrock of Rotorua and “woven” into the work the council did already.
“We’re not creating new cultural projects for the sake of it,” said Moraes. “Our bicultural and multicultural fabric is already part of every major project and programme we deliver.”
This included the museum project.
“The museum is a real treasure,” he said. “The decision to restore it has been well socialised, and the next council will shape how it fits into Rotorua’s tourism and destination offering.”
Repairs and fit-out work on the museum were expected to continue through 2026 and a tentative reopening date has been set for 2027.
By Mathew Nash, Local Democracy Reporter
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
