Key’s grubby little deal on the Sky City convention center is about as popular as halitosis. The people don’t want it:
Support disappears for convention deal
Survey finds 61 per cent of people against SkyCity deal with Government which will give it more poker machines
Public opinion has turned against the Government’s SkyCity international convention centre deal just days before it is due to be signed off, allowing for 230 extra poker machines at the downtown Auckland casino.
The latest Herald-DigiPoll survey shows 61.5 per cent of those polled disapprove of the deal while 33.8 per cent approve.
That’s a sharp turnaround from a year ago when a similar poll found 40.3 per cent disapproved and 57.3 supported it.
(There are valid methodological quibbles with the comparison with the earlier survey, but 61% opposed is still a strong finding.)
The Auckland City Council doesn’t want it:
Council opposes convention centre deal
The Auckland Council has come out against the Government’s deal for a convention centre to built in return for laws allowing increased casino gambling.
Casino operator SkyCity has agreed to build the $400 million centre, in return for Government concessions that include an extended licence, an extra 230 gaming machines and up to 60 gaming tables.
Thursday’s vote does not affect the deal between the Government and SkyCity and is largely a symbolic gesture against the concessions. But the council is also demanding more measures to curb problem gambling and the release of a report on the social impacts of the deal.
Councillor Cathy Casey proposed the vote, which sparked lengthy debate before being passed by 10 votes to 7, and said it reflects anger that the Government has not consulted with Auckland over the deal. …
Key will carry on regardless of course, because he’s tied himself too closely to this deal, he thinks there are benefits and doesn’t care about the costs, and because he is much too arrogant to back down.
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