MOTAT stronger model — conditions for in-principle VFMC support

Value for Money Committee — 10 September 2026

Item 8.1 · Stronger model for MOTATs future: in-principle support and next steps

Oral / written statement

Support in principle. Do not give a blank cheque.

Tēnā koutou. I speak as Founder of City Builders Association. On 18 July we wrote supporting efficiencies between MOTAT and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, provided MOTAT’s statutory, memorial and curatorial character was protected. That is still our position. In-principle support for a stronger model is reasonable. Unconditional in-principle support is not.

The governing Acts already put the relevant levers with this Council and its CCO. Under the MOTAT Act 2000, Council appoints six of ten board members and funds the museum by levy — $20.4 million in 2026/27, about 86 per cent of revenue. TAU owns the Great North Road land. Council owns Motions Road. TAU already advises on appointments and levy. Local Government Act 2002 Part 5 and the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 put CCO direction and cultural-sector reform with the Governing Body and this committee. Legislative repeal is a Parliamentary step. Due diligence, delegations, funding design and Western Springs planning are yours now.

We therefore ask the committee, if it agrees in principle, to attach conditions — not leave them to an unspecified later plan.

1. Ring-fence before final decision. Brand, collection title and care standards, exhibition and commemorative programming, the volunteer model, and a MOTAT Society role that survives repeal of section 5(1)(b) must be drafted into a trust deed, funding deed or TAU instrument before any Bill is promoted.

2. KPIs that match the Act, not only the till. Collection stewardship, education and STEM outcomes, and memorial/heritage functions under the current section 12 objectives must sit alongside visitation and commercial revenue.

3. Publish the money. The due-diligence pack must include a 10-year opex and capex schedule, depreciation treatment of the circa $42 million non-collection asset base, the $10 million revolving facility, insurance, transition costs, asset-ownership anomalies already flagged in the report, and philanthropy risk.

4. No silent Option 2 takeover. Any operational delegation from the MOTAT Board to TAU under section 13(2)(j), before the Act is changed, must be time-limited, published, and consistent with the Board’s continuing duties under section 13.

5. Consult before the final decision, not after. Society members, volunteers as a distinct group, mana whenua on Te Wai Ōrea, Waitematā and Albert-Eden Local Boards, and donors. An in-principle vote is not a substitute for that.

Efficiencies should strengthen MOTAT, not standardise it into another TAU stop. If those conditions are in the resolution, we support the work proceeding. If they are not, in-principle agreement is a political convenience dressed as reform.

We are available to the working group. Thank you.

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Mark Pervan, Founder · City Builders Association · 10 September 2026

Submitted to Auckland Council Value for Money Committee against Item 8.1, with cover note to Sonja Tomovska (cc Cr Desley Simpson).