What Is So Hard ATEED?

Another day, another surprise or secret sprung upon Auckland by either Auckland Council or one of its Council Controlled Organisations (CCO’s).

Today it is the CCO ATEED (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) being all secret about their sponsorship into New Zealand Fashion Week which is currently running in Auckland. Trusty Councillor Cameron Brewer picked up on ATEED doing the dirty dark secret business again and is mentioned in the New Zealand Herald.

From The NZH:

Fashion Week subsidy a secret

By Amelia Wade

 

Auckland Council’s tourism arm Ateed has refused to reveal how much ratepayer money has been spent on NZ Fashion Week, amid criticism of public spending on the event.

Ateed said the details of the six-figure sum were confidential so organisers could negotiate commercial deals, but said it expected Fashion Week to return almost $700,000 of new money into Auckland’s economy.

Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer said it was time for “transparency and accountability” as to where public money was being spent.

“Our ratepayers’ dollars are stretched and we need some greater accountability with the money we hand out. We demand it from everyone else.”

On the whole, Mr Brewer said he supported Fashion Week but, “it’s probably timely that ratepayers and elected representatives gain a clearer understanding from Ateed as to how and where this money is being spent”.

Oh hello where have we heard this before with ATEED doing the Secret Squirrel stuff and getting their chops busted over this? Oh wait the dodgy V8′s decision making process recently done by ATEED – and that was only in August!

Continuing from the NZH:

The annual event’s future has become increasingly uncertain with big name designers choosing not to return, smaller labels struggling to afford to be involved, and the number of international buyers in attendance dwindling.

This year’s line-up is one of the smallest since it started more than a decade ago. It is almost an entirely “exclusive” event with most of the shows being private and few opportunities for the public to be involved.

Ateed’s acting general manager for Destination, Jennah Wootten, said Fashion Week was one of the 22 successful applications for a portion of this year’s major events fund.

The council’s tourism arm commissioned research company Covec to forecast economic returns for the event. It predicted $694,935 of new money coming into Auckland and 6080 domestic and international nights’ accommodation in the city as a direct result.

“NZFW makes a substantial contribution to the greater regional prosperity of Auckland through the generation of domestic and international visitors, foreign investment and trade for the Auckland region through the various international buyers who attend the event, and the opportunity to showcase Auckland and our fashion industry internationally,” she said.

Ms Wooten said all 22 events would be evaluated at the end of the financial year.

Designer and co-founder of the World brand Denise L’Estrange-Corbet said the public deserved to know how much money was being spent on the event. “If it’s come from the public’s purse, the public have a right to know.”

L’Estrange-Corbet, who opted out of Fashion Week this year, said she believed the week was funded by designers paying up to $24,000 to hold shows and sponsorship deals.

“So if they’ve got all that money coming in and it’s still not enough, how is it still viable?”

Let me point out the “hitting the nail on the head” comment:

Designer and co-founder of the World brand Denise L’Estrange-Corbet said the public deserved to know how much money was being spent on the event. “If it’s come from the public’s purse, the public have a right to know.”

L’Estrange-Corbet, who opted out of Fashion Week this year, said she believed the week was funded by designers paying up to $24,000 to hold shows and sponsorship deals.

“So if they’ve got all that money coming in and it’s still not enough, how is it still viable?”

That question needs to be seriously asked by the Auckland Council Governing Body to ATEED – even if it means holding ATEED’s backside over the fire to get a straight answer out of them!

Look NZ Fashion Week I have no problem with per-se, but if the viability of this event is now in question it might be time for a sit down and a nice rethink. What I mean is that the concept of NZ Fashion Week might need a serious revamp, rebrand and most of all actually be open to the public so we can have a nosey.

Because this is unacceptable:

The annual event’s future has become increasingly uncertain with big name designers choosing not to return, smaller labels struggling to afford to be involved, and the number of international buyers in attendance dwindling.

This year’s line-up is one of the smallest since it started more than a decade ago. It is almost an entirely “exclusive” event with most of the shows being private and few opportunities for the public to be involved.

You want a private exclusive show with no public opportunities, then go host it yourself WITHOUT public money. Public money means public is FULLY INVOLVED at most if not ALL OPPORTUNITIES.

ATEED need to be more proactive and make sure those opportunities are there for us ratepayers – seeming we are “funding” it…

ATEED – Again you fail this point:

Open Governance: I believe in open governance where the public can sit in, listen and where possible discuss “matters-of-state” as much as possible with their representatives. None of this hiding behind closed doors (except for commercially sensitive material that does come up from time to time), and fessing up when you know you have stuffed up. You might find the public are more sympathetic you one acknowledges and apologies for a legitimate mistake

Time to take a broom to you for a bit of a spring clean until we get open governance?