February 21, 2013
Sham process costs tribal bidder
Labour leader David Shearer says Ngāti Whatua ō Orakei has a right to feel angry over the Auckland Convention Centre deal.
A report by the deputy auditor general has found that other bidders were left in the dark while officials negotiated a deal under which Sky City would expand its existing convention centre in exchange for being allowed to put in another 200 pokie machines.
Mr Shearer says other bidders put a lot of time and money into drawing up proposals without having all the facts they needed.
“Sky City was told the government will not put any money up at all into this deal. Nobody else got told that so other companies, including Ngāti Whatua went ahead thinking that the government was going to be an active partner in it and that’s the way they shaped their proposals”. Mr Shearer says.
David Shearer says the report shows the process was a sham, and it in no way vindicates Prime Minister John Key.
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