Budget cuts could compromise Auckland’s cultural identity

The $44.5 million reduction to Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), proposed in the 2023/2024 Auckland Council budget, may impact its delivery of cultural festivals such as Pasifika, The Lantern Festival and Diwali.

TAU chief executive Nick Hill says he is unsure of what potential impacts the proposed cost reduction will have.

“There may be projects, or work programmes which are stopped, or some changes to teams.”

But Rahul Chopra, a volunteer organiser of Diwali, says he is concerned about what the change might mean for various cultural communities.

He says the majority of stallholders at these festivals are small businesses, such as restaurants, artists, craftspeople and entertainers – and they could also face serious setbacks.

“If the festival gets affected then all of them get affected. The event is quite a big industry and there’s a lot of people who rely on these things and small businesses are part of it.”

Chopra also worries that the budget cuts will lead to low-quality events, which will cause attendees to lose interest.

“It’s difficult to cut things, it’s getting more expensive, so if you cut things you often compromise the quality and at the same time, the teams working on it, the people attending – they actually feel like ‘hey, it’s just not worth it.’”

Hill says TAU will be in touch with those impacted by the cuts.

“Where needed, formal consultation – as part of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s, internal structural change process – will be carried out with kaimahi (staff), who are directly affected so management can hear their views and ideas before any decisions are made.”

The draft budget’s public consultation closes on March 28, when adjustments will be made. The final budget comes into effect on July 1.