Latest news with #AliWilliams
1News
29-05-2025
- Business
- 1News
Auckland millionaires absent from controversial helipad hearing
Multi-millionaire couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams have not taken up the chance to personally convince a hearing that they should be granted a suburban helipad. Thursday was the final day for the applicants to satisfy the panel of independent commissioners that their application meets the demands and conditions of a helicopter pad at their Rawene Ave property in Westmere, Auckland. The resource consent application hearing was adjourned on Thursday, with the couple absent from the hearing. Anna Mowbray of Zuru Toys and the job platform Zeil, and former All-Black Ali Williams' contentious application hearing has gone ahead this month at the Auckland Town Hall, without their physical presence throughout. During the hearing, a panel of independent commissioners heard expert evidence and submissions from those opposing and supporting the application. ADVERTISEMENT The hearing was not yet officially closed, RNZ understood this could take another week with the panel now deliberating whether they required further information. The independent panel would then have a 15 working day window to announce a decision, meaning the couple would have to wait until later next month to hear an outcome. The applicants' lawyer, Chris Simmons, asked the panel not to let their absence influence their decision making. "I'll take a moment just to encourage the panel not to read anything into the applicants' physical absence from the hearing," he said. "They are absolutely invested in this application, they've been involved and, in fact, I think that they've observed online, every minute of proceedings. "The applicants have adopted a comprehensive approach to consultation and undertaken a thorough examination of potential adverse effects that been identified," the lawyer said. According to Auckland Council, out of 1397 written submissions made on the application, a majority — 1227, or 87% — opposed the helipad. One hundred and eight were supportive, and 12 were neutral. ADVERTISEMENT
RNZ News
29-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Auckland millionaires fail to attend controversial helipad hearing in person
The Rawene Avenue property where the helipad might be built. Photo: RNZ/Maia Ingoe Multi-millionaire couple Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams have not taken up the chance to personally convince a hearing that they should be granted a suburban helipad. Thursday was the final day for the applicants to satisfy the panel of independent commissioners that their application meets the demands and conditions of a helicopter pad at their Rawene Avenue property in Westmere, Auckland. The resource consent application hearing was adjourned on Thursday, with the couple absent from the hearing. Anna Mowbray of Zuru Toys and the job platform Zeil, and former All-Black Ali Williams' contentious application hearing has gone ahead this month at the Auckland Town Hall, without their physical presence throughout. During the hearing, a panel of independent commissioners have heard expert evidence and submissions from those opposing and supporting the application. The hearing is not yet officially closed, RNZ understands this could take another week with the panel now deliberating whether they require further information. The independent panel will then have a 15 working day window to announce a decision, meaning the couple will have to wait until later next month to hear an outcome. The applicants' lawyer, Chris Simmons, asked the panel not to let their absence influence their decision making. "I'll take a moment just to encourage the panel not to read anything into the applicants' physical absence from the hearing," he said. "They are absolutely invested in this application, they've been involved and in fact, I think that they've observed online, every minute of proceedings. "The applicants have adopted a comprehensive approach to consultation and undertaken a thorough examination of potential adverse effects that been identified," the lawyer said. According to Auckland Council, out of 1397 written submissions made on the application, a majority - 1227, or 87 percent - opposed the helipad . One hundred and eight were supportive, and 12 were neutral. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Auckland's Western Springs Stadium's future up for public consultation
There are three proposals open for public consultation on the future of Western Springs Stadium. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi After more than 100 years at Auckland's Western Springs Stadium, the Ponsonby Rugby Club faces losing its home if the space becomes the new base for the city's football team - Auckland FC. Public submissions on the stadium's future open on Monday. One is a privately funded venue focused on football. It is backed by rich lister Anna Mowbray and her husband, former All Black Ali Williams. It is the preferred option of the council's economic and cultural agency, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, with plans to turn it into a new 12,500 to 15,000-seat stadium that would be home for Auckland FC, as well as a concert venue. But the Ponsonby Rugby Club wants the stadium to remain in community hands. A third option is for Auckland Council to do nothing or explore other ideas. Tātaki Auckland and the city's Mayor, Wayne Brown, declined an interview with Morning Report this morning. Former All Black Sir Bryan Williams has spent much of his life at Ponsonby Rugby Club. He said it was important to preserve public access to one of Auckland's most iconic community spaces. "It's a natural amphitheatre Western Springs and as far as I'm concerned and others, many others, it needs to be preserved." The venue had been home to speedway and concerts, he said. "I remember you know watching the Rolling Stones at Western Springs and an exhibition fight with Mohammed Ali, I saw Peter Snell create a world record, I think it might of been for 2000 metres back in the day." Sir Bryan said they were proposing to have a community facility at Western Springs that would provide club rooms for Ponsonby but also be available for use by the community. They had also worked in with concert promoters CRS Records and Eccles Entertainment, he said. "They would build a permanent stage at Western Springs and it'd still be open obviously to holding large concerts." Sir Bryan said having both a community facility and the ability to hold large concerts at Western Springs would meet Auckland Council's objectives. Their proposal would definitely require some public funding, he said. Sir Bryan said the key reason for opposing the alternative proposal was that it would mean that Ponsonby Rugby Club and the public would not have access. "It would be a concrete stadium with apparently commercial spaces, people would have to pay for access to those facilities." But the history of Western Springs is that it had been a fantastic community facility for concerts, sports and community use, he said. Ponsonby Rugby Club was 150 years old and had served the public for a long time, he said. There would be a lot of obstacles such as parking and getting a liquor licence to it finding another suitable venue, he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
All Blacks great Sir Bryan Williams calls on public to back community-driven Western Springs stadium
In a statement released today, the club said it was throwing its support behind what it described as a new community-first proposal for Western Springs. The plan would involve the creation of a multi-purpose venue that could be used for sports, music, festivals and the wider community – all while keeping the land in public hands, the club said. 'We're not looking to build walls or gates,' Williams said. 'We're building access. Access to top-class facilities at community rates.' The proposal being backed by the Ponsonby club would result in a 5000-8000-seat stadium that could cater for club sport, school finals competitions and community tournaments. A permanent stage would be installed for cultural events and concerts. New clubrooms and shared changing rooms for groups such as netball, touch, basketball and fitness clubs would also be built. A space for community gatherings – suitable for events such as local fundraisers and holiday programmes – would also be made available and all at affordable prices, the backers say. Williams said: 'We've seen festivals like Laneway and Pasifika fill the park with joy. Will they happen in a private, locked facility?' The other proposed idea, backed by former All Black Ali Williams, his wife and businesswoman Anna Mowbray and American billionaires Bill Foley and Bennett Rosenthal, would result in an arena including a 12,500-seat sports stadium. It would have a 25,000-capacity concert venue and feature eight indoor basketball courts, six padel courts, four outdoor training fields, five hospitality establishments and high-performance facilities. That arena would cost $200 million to $300m but would be privately funded. Ali Williams said of the idea: 'Western Springs is just crying out for it to happen.' However, Sir Bryan Williams said the privately funded idea would change the place into a concrete stadium that would likely have locked-door access. 'Let's be honest, private management means restricted access – high hireage fees and limited availability. 'That's not the Auckland we want to live in,' he said.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Controversial helipad faces stiff opposition on second day of Auckland hearing
The Rawene Avenue property where the helipad might be built. Photo: RNZ/Maia Ingoe The Aucklanders who want to build a helicopter pad on their multi-million dollar Westmere property have faced stiff opposition from the public on the second day of a hearing on their resource consent application . The applicants, Anna Mowbray of Zuru Toys and the job platform Zeil, and former All Black Ali Williams have been represented at the hearing by their legal counsel, who finished making their case on Tuesday morning. For the rest of the week, an independent panel will be hearing from members of the public who are mostly opposed to the helipad. Reuben Jackson from the Hawke Sea Scouts told the panel on Tuesday that if a helicopter was permitted to land at Coxs Bay around low tide, their scouts aged 6 and up would no longer be able to do activities there at that time. The couple's Rawene Avenue property borders the bay. He said the scouts were based about 300 metres from the proposed helipad. "We're really concerned about the safety of our youth when we go out and do coastal clean-ups and ecology walks. "It would be very dangerous to have a helicopter near us." Jackson was disappointed the community organisation was not consulted by the applicant about how a helicopter would impact them. Forest and Bird Nelson branch chairperson Craig Potton also joined the fight to stop the helipad from going ahead. Speaking remotely via a video link he said helicopter activity at Coxs Bay would unnecessarily harm the well-being of the estuary's migrant bird population. "These birds are in a very serious state of decline. It's important that in the period they spend in New Zealand they get a chance to feed up before they fly back via China towards Alaska or wherever their breeding ground is. "Any kind of disturbance in these estuaries, not just helicopters, has a cumulative impact." A neighbour of the couple said he was unhappy about the noise a landing helicopter would create in the residential area. Ian Swinton said helicopters interrupted his ability to have conversations and make phone calls when they flew over his home. "We live within 220 metres of the applicant's site. We've experienced helicopters and their intrusion into our lives from having them in close range at odd times." Another submitter, psychologist Gail Janet Ratcliffe, echoed these concerns. She said on Waiheke Island, which had around 60 helicopter pads, locals had experienced a great deal of distress. "I've had clients referred to me for dealing with the effects of helicopter-related stress. "People who live near helicopters - it impacts their sleep, it makes them anxious, angry, depressed, they can't work if they work from home." Some submitters spoke in support of the high-flying couple's helipad. One neighbour, who did not want to be named, accused those opposing the development of scaremongering. She said people falsely claimed a helicopter would be used at the property twice a day every day. She said there were rumours she had been offered a family car in exchange for supporting the application, which she unequivocally denied. The hearing is set to continue on Wednesday, and the panel will decide the fate of Coxs Bay in the coming weeks. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
