Hundertwasser – Yes, No or is it Affordability?

The Whangarei District Council’s planned Hundertwasser Museum for the city’s Waterfront, has split the community, causing this project to be an election issue.

The current council proposes the conversion of the empty building at Whangarei’s Water Front into a museum commemorating the world renowned Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser who spent his later years in the region. Since it was first floated, the concept has had a polarising effect among Whangarei residents.  However according to Mayoral Candidate Vince Cocurullo there are people in both camps who have very valid views, and rather than making it a yes or no issue, we may actually be asking the wrong question.

Vince believes that although it an interesting project, it all comes down to affordability. People are hurting in Northland, council needs to look more at how we can ease the pressure on businesses and developers, to give them time to regroup, recover and return to a state of profitability.

After the discussions he has had with many in the community he believes that the question that should be asked is, “if the project was NOT funded by ratepayer’s, and was allowed to be funded privately, where the profit/losses were not Councils, would the public be supportive of the project?”  The answers that came back were a surprising Yes.

Within the current economic climate Whangarei is hurting. Businesses are thinking of closing or leaving town, developments are on hold and there are empty buildings and shops all over the place, and the medium wage is $22,500 per year. A balance must be struck.”

It is important that our Council, puts a stop to pushing individual barrows, and starts sorting out the issues of the district and get businesses working again, he believes.

Vince Cocurullo

Whangarei Mayoral Candidate 2013

Phone 09 4388834

vince@cocurullo.co.nz