The "Wellywood" debate

I flew into Christchurch a while ago. Were I not a bloke’ I’d have wept at the view: the Southern Alps stretching southwards; the Canterbury Plains patchwork; a glimpse of the Port Hills and Lyttleton; and then the beautiful city. And some dope in Wellington wants to stick a Wellywood sign on a hill. The sign might as well say ‘a dope lives here’, or ‘the people here put up with almost anything’, or ‘common sense wanted, apply below’, or ‘The Warehouse, where everyone gets a bargain’.

But surely they’ll have to apply for Resource Consent and surely, if that piece of legislation does what it’s supposed to, it’ll protect the public benefits inherent in private property. In New Zealand we don’t own land. We own the right to use it. The Resource Management Act was introduced, in part to recognise and protect the public elements of private property, for example, what you build on your property becomes someone else’s view. The music you play in your house becomes your neighbour’s sound too. That hill is someone else’s view. Many people’s views – actually. Their rights should be considered and respected. Imagine if Auckland’s Sky City people bought a little island just off the end of Wellington’s runway and built a Sky Tower there. I think the airport people might understand then.

Call me a cynic if you must but I don’t think it’s about ‘Wellywood’. If they really wanted to celebrate the creative industry they’d be creative and original instead of tacky and stoopid. It’s the second-hand car sales tricks. The foot in the door, thin end of the wedge thing. Start with a compliment and then cash in. When we’re used to ‘Wellywood’ it becomes ‘WarnerBros supports Wellywood’ and then it becomes just ‘WarnerBros’ and then ‘Microsoft’ and then ‘Toyota’ and then the golden arches. Surely they don’t think we’re that stoopid, or that apathetic – or are we?

Perhaps they might consider sticking windmills on the hill – if they’re so intent on sticking things on their hill. Though some might consider windmills a blot on the landscape too, at least they’re useful.

I think they should plant trees on the hill. I think they might even ask passengers to sponsor a tree by giving a dollar; as a way of offsetting the noise pollution they create.  And I think passengers arriving in Wellington might get a similar experience as those arriving in Christchurch. I think they should just think.

My last two words on this: Hone Heke.

Peter Giddens