Responding to today’s Dominion Post report that Hawke’s Bay mayors knew that the new museum in Napier, which opened in September and was funded by the Napier and Hastings councils, can only store 40 per cent of the Museums Trust’s collection, Jordan Williams of the Taxpayers’ Union says:

“First the councils overestimate museum visitor numbers by counting people who were just using the bathrooms, and now we find out that they’ve known for a year that the collection won’t fit. It’s unbelievable that in 12 months officials haven’t even organised alternative storage.”

Napier’s Mayor Bill Dalton suggested yesterday that both councils knew of the problems last year – a claim denied by Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule.

“A three children family doesn’t build a two bedroom house, but Napier has built a museum forgetting 40 per cent of its collection. It is a complete omnishambles.”

ENDS

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