1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Kyoda. I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, 2 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: a daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Over 3 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: the last decade, as New Zealand has grappled with the 4 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:25,280 Speaker 1: housing crisis, golf courses have become a lightning rod for controversy. 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: Auckland Council alone owns or managers thirteen golf courses across 6 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: the supercity, and many campaigners have targeted these sites as 7 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: being prime land for housing, though as with any major project, 8 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: there are plenty of loud voices on the other side 9 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: of the debate. The recent controversy to hit the Green 10 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: has nothing to do with housing though, but instead with wetlands, 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: flooding and the Takapuna golf Course. Ahead of the delivery 12 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: of review findings next week, on this case today on 13 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: the Front Page, we're unpacking the contentious nature of golf 14 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: courses in Auckland, firstly with contributing writer for the spin 15 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: off Hayden Dennell. So, Hayden tell me about what's going 16 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: on with the Takapoona golf course. 17 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 2: The basic of it is that this all started on 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 2: the Auckland Anniversary Weekends flood when the whole White oh Valley. Basically, 19 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 2: when underwater, two people died, Homes, businesses were destroyed. In 20 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 2: the after mass is that the council had to look 21 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: for ways to make sure it wouldn't happen again. And 22 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: so they were basically looking for council owned land that 23 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 2: could draw a whole heap of water as flooding ever 24 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 2: took place. And they found that the only big enough 25 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 2: and appropriate section of land that they own is a 26 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: copoon of golf course. And so they're proposing to turn 27 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 2: a lot of it into a wetland so that blood's 28 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 2: ever happened and that will store all the water. But 29 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: that would mean at least reducing the golf course to 30 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 2: nine holes. That has proved You would never guess this, 31 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: but it has proved controversial. 32 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: Is the golfers aren't happy. Have they proposed anything else? 33 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 2: In the meantime, the golfers have got their own proposal. 34 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 2: I'm going to be looking at it a bit deeper 35 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: later this week, but they want to They say that 36 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: they're going to keep eighteen holes. They say that they 37 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 2: can keep ating holes and still provide enough drainage for 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: any future floods. I think it's five hundred million liters 39 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: of wader or something that needs to be stored to 40 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 2: prevent a repeat of the Upen Anniversary weekend floods. Now, 41 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 2: I think there's being assessed right now by council officials 42 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: and there are some doubts about whether that is feasible 43 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: or not. And as I understand it as well, there 44 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: are other people that have interest in the course and 45 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: taking on the lease and maybe working a little bit 46 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: closer with the council as well. 47 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: Why is it so difficult to get rid of or 48 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: to simply amend a golf course. 49 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 2: It's emotional. I'm not a golfer, so I don't have 50 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 2: the I can't relate to it on a deep emotional 51 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: personal level. But I think there's so many people that 52 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,119 Speaker 2: a lot of their social life is tied up there, 53 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 2: a lot of their enjoyment takes place in this course, 54 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 2: and the idea of doing away with it that really 55 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: offends them on a personal level. There's also I mean, 56 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: there's a lot of money, let's say, that's tied up 57 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 2: in a lot of golf courses, and there's a lot 58 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 2: of resources for people that are passionate about the sports 59 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 2: to access and so it's often hard to dislodge the 60 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: courses because you'll get a backlash from some of the 61 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: more wealthy and well connected members of society who enjoy 62 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: using that course. And I mean there's a whole heap 63 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: of reasons. 64 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: Are you surprised to see so much backlash towards this proposal? 65 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 2: Absolutely not. I mean you just remember a few years ago, 66 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen, I think it was that Chamberlaine Park golf 67 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: course and Mount Albert. The local board they're proposed to 68 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 2: remove half of it and make it nine holes and 69 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: give some they definitely needed some sports facilities, community sports facilities, 70 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 2: and that caused a massive backclash. The board was voted out, 71 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: the proposal was put on hold or supported. Now so, 72 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 2: I'm absolutely not surprised. It seems like this happens whenever 73 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: a golf course is in any way threatened with some 74 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:26,559 Speaker 2: sort of different use remu edit golf course another one 75 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: where where Bill Golf is talking about potentially using it 76 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: for a different purpose than the local board. The Orducky 77 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: local Board extended its least betweenty ninety one, I think. 78 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,480 Speaker 2: So this seems to happen just about every time, And 79 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 2: just for context, the council owns. I think thirteen golf 80 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: courses an autant and there is something like forty three overall, 81 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 2: so it's not a city that is short of golf courses, 82 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 2: but it's still it proves incredibly difficult to get rid 83 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 2: of any of them. 84 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 3: If the golf courses plan for eighteen holes and the 85 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 3: wetland proposal that they're proposed works, it covers the same 86 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 3: money and covers the same amount of space, then it 87 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 3: was it would stay a golf course, but they would 88 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 3: be up to the local board. If the council one 89 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 3: was the only one that was possible, be up to 90 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 3: the local board what to do in that remaining space, 91 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 3: So it could be mine, whole golf course and driving range, 92 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:22,120 Speaker 3: it could be whatever the local board. 93 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 2: Went out with. 94 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: I did love the bit in your article about the 95 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 1: woman complaining about duck poo. 96 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, I thought, I mean this is I thought this 97 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:38,159 Speaker 2: was one of the most furious arguments again redeveloping the 98 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: golf course. That was a local woman who says that 99 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 2: she likes to use the course to walk her dog. 100 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 2: And if there's a wet land, there'll be heaps of 101 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 2: ducks here, and the ducks or crapp everywhere, and then 102 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,119 Speaker 2: the dog it seems will be mainlining the duck poo 103 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: and the story that was the story from staff and 104 00:05:55,720 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 2: it had a picture of the dog looking very forlornly 105 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: into the middle distance, which I think was probably the 106 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,679 Speaker 2: dog contemplating it set to eating duck footh. 107 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: I love how it was just like the title of 108 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: the image, just look looking towards its future of duck 109 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 1: oo meals it. 110 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: Didn't look happy about it. Now I know this is 111 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 2: this is one of the more low costs golf courses. 112 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 2: And Chamberlain part was the same where it's not just 113 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 2: the toity toity rich members of society. He use it. 114 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,280 Speaker 2: And so there's an argument from like an an equity 115 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 2: perspective to keep as much of this golf course as possible. 116 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: But you just couldn't take a better argument. For you, 117 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: if you're going to try to do away with some 118 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: of the golf course and maybe keep nine holes, then 119 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 2: literally people died and we need a place to store 120 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,559 Speaker 2: water so that that will never happen again, and homes 121 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 2: and businesses were destroyed. And if even there's going to 122 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 2: be a time that a golf course actually goes then 123 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,840 Speaker 2: it's probably this time, but I still give it up. 124 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: I think my last pods was given them a twenty 125 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: five to the council twenty five percent jump. I sort 126 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 2: of offer it between that. 127 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: I saw a figure on Golf New Zealand's website that 128 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: last year golf club membership sat at about one hundred 129 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: and forty two thousand, eight hundred and eighty registrations nationwide. 130 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: New Zealand has more than four hundred golf courses, which 131 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: is apparently the second in the world per capita, behind Scotland. 132 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: Why do we need all of them? 133 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 2: Well, I would argue, and I have argued in the past, 134 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: that we don't and I have really no problem with 135 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 2: having a heap of golf courses. People enjoy them used. 136 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 2: But when when they're on public land in places that 137 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 2: could be used for any manner of community facilities or 138 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 2: even housing to address the housing crisis, that's sort of 139 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 2: where it starts getting a bit techier. In this case, 140 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,440 Speaker 2: it's where it's needed to prevent flooding that could damage 141 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: lives of businesses or homes. Takapuna is one of the 142 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 2: cheapest courses, but also located right next to Smails Farm 143 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 2: in the middle of the heap of housing developments, a 144 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 2: heap of business, and it's public land that we're not 145 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: getting a huge return on that for sure, and so 146 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: I would argue that, look, we should be able to 147 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 2: use some of these courses for different purposes, particularly when 148 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 2: they're in dense urban areas, right next to public transport 149 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 2: in the middle of housing development. 150 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: Does it feel a bit like the council's hands are 151 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: tied here. It's not like we need a law change 152 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: to get this done. The council could do this tomorrow, 153 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: but the public just doesn't want to let them. 154 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 2: I think that it's really just the political consequences that 155 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 2: people fear, and it is, as you say, it's council land. 156 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 2: They should be able to do what they like with it. 157 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: But it has proved incredibly difficult to just get over 158 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 2: the amount of angst and lobbying that any proposals to 159 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,839 Speaker 2: get rid of a golf course generates. I remember going 160 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 2: to a meeting about Chamberlain Park and one of the 161 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: local board members, I think it might have been Peter 162 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:09,680 Speaker 2: Hayes being referred to as Judas Haines or something like that. 163 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 2: Grahams maybe Judas Es. There's pretty vehement opposition to it. 164 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 2: It can often have political ramifications for the local councilors 165 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: or local board members, and so I think there's a 166 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 2: reticence Todre to coect the hornet's nest, so to speak. 167 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Hayden, thanks a lot. 168 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 4: Chelsea to talk us through the golf course and Auckland 169 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 4: Council's views on it. 170 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: We're joined now by Nsitt Herald reporter Benjamin Plumber. Benjamin, 171 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: can you talk about the Takapoona Golf Club's alternate proposal 172 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: to wal Auckland councils suggested? 173 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, So the Takapuna Golf Club wants the retain the 174 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 5: courses eighteen holes and proposes a dry base on which 175 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 5: would create a flood retention zone. And both ideas are 176 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 5: now being stacked up against each other by the Auckland 177 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 5: Council and it. 178 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: Seems like to me that the alternate option, they're pretty 179 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: confident that they're going to hit that five hundred and 180 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 1: fifty million leaders as well taught me through that. Yeah. 181 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 5: So the council's proposal to restore part of the park 182 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 5: area to a wetland and dry detention areas which will 183 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 5: increase flood storage, which they say will be a minimum 184 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 5: from sixty million leaders to five hundred and fifty million leaders, 185 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 5: which is about equivalent to two hundred and twenty Olympic 186 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 5: swimming pools. And they say that any alternative plan would 187 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 5: need to hold this amount as a minimum. 188 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: So I understand that local golfing hero Ryan Fox has 189 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: now come out of the would work in favor of 190 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 1: the revised plan. 191 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 2: Hey, yeah, he has. 192 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 3: So. 193 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 5: Ryan was playing it tech Burner Golf Club Whindow. He's 194 00:10:57,559 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 5: trying to get on the PGA Tour. He's now two 195 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 5: time PGA Tour winner, and he had a message over 196 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 5: the weekend just throwing his support behind retaining the full 197 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:10,079 Speaker 5: eighteen hole course. He says it the club provides affordable 198 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:12,840 Speaker 5: access to the game for those wanting to get into 199 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 5: the sport. And you know, it's really exploded in like 200 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 5: the numbers. The number of golfers has exploded since COVID. 201 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 5: I think Golf New Zealand reported a fifty percent growth 202 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:27,600 Speaker 5: club memberships in the last five years, so you know 203 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,320 Speaker 5: there's record participation numbers at the moment. In Ryan Fox 204 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 5: says the techapun of golf course is a significant public 205 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 5: asset that provides a great service to golf in New Zealand. 206 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 1: I think a lot of us have this view of 207 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: golf as being a rich person sport. I saw a 208 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: quote from Golf and z ED CEO Jeff Latch where 209 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,000 Speaker 1: he said that golf is the most played sport in 210 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: New Zealand, attracting more than five hundred thousand participants annually 211 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: now first off, and initially I was like, oh, I 212 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 1: saw that this morning, and I was like, Okay, that 213 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: seems a bit odd to me. But after consulting some 214 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: of our colleagues from the Sports department, including Newstalk ZBS 215 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: Andrew Olderson, I've come around to it. 216 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 5: Yeah, no, it's it's obviously, like I said, it's grown 217 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 5: in popularity in recent years, and you know, it's a 218 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,880 Speaker 5: game for everyone. Anyone can sort of get involved and 219 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 5: get started at any age of their life. Rugby where 220 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 5: you often started as a kid and play through, but yeah, 221 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 5: a lot of people can start at whatever age. So 222 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 5: just on the point that golf is expensive, a lot 223 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 5: of clubs are, but Takapuna, for example, it's one of 224 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 5: only two public courses in Auckland and very accessible, very 225 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 5: very cheap, so it would be quite a big loss 226 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 5: for those wanting to get into golf. 227 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:52,199 Speaker 6: I've encourage as much speed intemperance as possibly can quickly 228 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 6: to say it doesn't have you always best because there 229 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 6: is out We'll have a look at that when it comes. 230 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:08,679 Speaker 1: And how has Auckland Council responded to all of this. 231 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 5: Auckland Council at the moment, so they're working hard to 232 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 5: balance the needs of the wire Ow community and those 233 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,840 Speaker 5: that use the land. At the moment, they say they've 234 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 5: seen great support for golf and say they'll do whatever 235 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 5: they can to accommodate recreational needs, including golf. But they 236 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 5: say what they won't do is prioritize them over the 237 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 5: urgent need to protect people's lives and properties from extreme flooding. 238 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, both plans are being considered at the moment, things 239 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: like costs and the differences between the proposals and those 240 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: of we shared after the reviewers complete I believe next week. 241 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 5: Yes, correct, they say they're currently in the final stages 242 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 5: of anate feasibility assessment of Takapoona's plan, Takapoona Golf Club's plan, 243 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 5: and that's going to be concluded early next week. They 244 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 5: haven't given specifics on how much this will cost, but 245 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 5: the Auckland Council's original plan indicated costs of around fifty 246 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 5: seven million. 247 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: So we're expecting that announcement on Monday about the review 248 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: into the project. Then it'll be up to the local 249 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: board to make a decision that it'll go out to 250 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: the public. Do you think public and industry pushback could 251 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 1: overrule what the council wants to do in the end? 252 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 5: I think the just on the number of people that 253 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 5: have gone to these public meetings. You know, it's obviously 254 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 5: a hot topic at the moment, and speaking to the 255 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 5: Tech Golf Club, I know there's a lot of sport 256 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 5: for them as well as the rest of the golf 257 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 5: and community, so I know that they're not going to 258 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 5: just lie down without a fight. But I guess we'll 259 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 5: wait and see. 260 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us, Ben. 261 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 5: Thank you. 262 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of The Front Page. You 263 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: can read more about today's stories and extensive news coverage 264 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: at enzadherld dot co dot nz. The Front Page is 265 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,480 Speaker 1: produced by Ethan Sills and Richard Martin, who is also 266 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: a sound engineer. I'm Chelsea Daniels. Subscribe to the front 267 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 1: page on iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts, and 268 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: tune in tomorrow for another look behind the headlines.