‘We Erred' – Stadium Policy That Threatened Nelson Giants Reversed
The future of Nelson's basketball club looks brighter after a change of heart over a food and drink policy.
Nelson City Council and Trafalgar Centre manager CLM (Community Leisure Management) have agreed to give three community groups exemptions to a policy that otherwise gives CLM exclusive food and beverage rights at the NBS Nelson Giants' home court.
Four weeks ago, the Giants warned the council that the policy would 'likely kill' the basketball club, which derives about 14% of its income from food and drink sales.
The policy was adopted without consultation with key users of the Trafalgar Centre when the contract for the facility was renegotiated last year.
On Tuesday, the council's Tenders Committee met confidentially to discuss the issue and Mayor Nick Smith announced on Friday morning that a solution had been found for the city's 'beloved' club.
'The prospect of the Giants not being part of Nelson was just untenable,' he said.
'We erred in not engaging with our anchor tenants, like the Giants, when the change was made. You live and learn.'
The Giants, the NBS Dancing for a Cause charity fundraiser, and Te Tauihu o te Waka a Maui Māori Cultural Council kapa haka are the three users of the centre that were granted exemptions from the policy until the end of the contract on 30 June 2027.
The policy had been changed to align with other 'premier' venues around the country, and to reduce costs to ratepayers who subsidise the facility by $2 million annually.
'I have no apologies for the fact that we want to minimise the cost to the ratepayer,' Smith said.
'The bit we did not understand was just the scale of the impact that would have on the finances of an organisation like the Giants.'
The addition of the policy allowed the council to secure a 'significantly' cheaper contract for CLM to manage the facility, but some of those savings will now be paid back to CLM as compensation for the variation to the contract.
Smith said the cost of the variation for the council would not be disclosed because it was commercially sensitive.
Next year, the council will conduct a high-level strategic review of the Trafalgar Centre, which will include engagement with groups that use the facility, to ensure that the new 2027 contract will work for the community.
It was possible that other groups will secure exemptions through that process, Smith added.
Giants head coach and manager Mike Fitchett said securing the exemption was a 'massive relief'.
Since his presentation to the council a month ago, he said he had been 'surprised' by support from the community.
'It's fair to say we're pretty overwhelmed with the support we received.'
Last Saturday afternoon, Smith was presented with a petition urging the council find a solution.
'For that to generate 1200 signatures, and in a pretty quick time – it was fantastic for us. We know we're really well supported, and this was another indication of that for us,' Fitchett said.
CLM Nelson community venues manager Mark Mekalick said the company was 'proud' to be a gold partner of the Giants.
'Community's at our heart and the Giants are a big part of this community, so it wasn't a hard decision to make,' he said.
'We want this venue to feel like their home.'
Dancing for a Cause trustee Michelle Byczkow was 'really grateful' to the council, mayor, CLM, and councillor and contestant Campbell Rollo that the fundraiser had been granted an exemption.
'It just provides a really promising outlook for another successful event in 2027.'
She said that this month's biennial event had raised $670,000 for the Nelson Tasman Hospice, surpassing her expectations.
'That support has followed through to everyone getting behind us and saying how they were feeling about the way that we and the Giants, and other community groups, were being disadvantaged.'
The fundraiser had already negotiated its event hire agreement for its 2025 event and was therefore unaffected by the policy this year.
But she said losing food and beverage rights, which were normally supplied by sponsors for free, for the 2027 event could have made the event not financially viable.
'That's not even somewhere that I want my mind to go.'
She called the three exemptions a 'good step', but said the fundraiser would be lobbying for 'as many local community groups and charitable groups as possible' to also get exemptions in the 2027 centre contract.
In the meantime, Fitchett was confident that the Giants would make the play-offs.
'We are still looking to pick up our first win of the season at the Trafalgar Centre, but we believe we can win six or seven of those last seven games to sneak in there.'
Smith was cheering the club on: 'Go the Giants!'
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Otago Daily Times
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TUPPY DIACK There is a story told by long-serving Otago rugby manager and union president Des Smith that sums up rather well the magnetic pull of Tuppy Diack. The two elder statesmen of Otago rugby had been on a road trip to Queenstown and stayed for the aftermatch at a White Horse Cup game, so the hour was late when they headed home via the Pigroot. When they reached Omakau, Smith phoned the Dunback pub to be told, sorry, there was no chance of a quick drink and a bit of tucker if they called in at 11pm. "I've got Tuppy Diack, the former All Black with me." To which the publican replied: "Tuppy Diack. I've never met him and would love to have a beer with him." That is how two stalwarts found themselves having a feed of fish and chips and a yarn with yet another person who thrilled to the prospect of an audience with one of the great figures of Otago rugby. 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After scoring a couple of tries for Kaikorai and converting them himself, Smith was selected in an Otago second grade team and unexpectedly advised he would be handling the goal-kicking duties. He called "Mr Diack", who was teaching at John McGlashan College, and the former All Black promptly gave Smith an hour-long session on the intricacies of kicking rugby goals. Smith later served as Otago and Highlanders manager for eight years and recalls Diack barely missing a training session as an interested observer. "The players loved him being there, and he became part of our teams. His understanding of the technical side of back play was incredible." Diack served as Otago Rugby Football Union president in 2005, and he and Smith spent many an enjoyable Saturday heading around the region. "The people in the country just loved to see Tuppy. He was like a magnet in the clubrooms after the game. "Many of those people used to stand on the terrace or sit in the stand at Carisbrook and watch him playing for Otago." Diack, who died in Dunedin on May 16, aged 94, played six games for Southland in 1954 but was otherwise exclusively seen in Otago blue in provincial rugby. He played 101 games for Otago between 1951 and 1964 as a goal-kicking, strong-running winger who was described by late ODT sports editor Brent Edwards as the "pin-up boy" of the province. There were highlights aplenty, including a Ranfurly Shield victory over Wellington in 1957, helping Otago tame the Lions in 1959, three consecutive selections for the South Island, and 18 appearances for New Zealand Universities, including a famous victory over the 1956 Springboks. In 1959, Diack scored two tries and kicked two conversions and a penalty for the Universities side against the Lions, and when he kicked four penalties and a conversion in Otago's 26-8 win over the Lions, he finally heard his name read out in the All Blacks over the radio. Fate played a cruel hand when he was ruled out of the first test at his beloved Carisbrook with an ankle injury sustained in Otago's game against the tourists. "I was usually able to run off an injury but this one got worse," Diack recalled years later. "The pain was excruciating. It was the only major injury of my career, and it was a bit of a sad end to what had been a wonderful week." Diack got an All Black jersey and a framed photograph for being selected, but had to watch from the Carisbrook grandstand as the All Blacks beat the Lions 18-17 thanks to the boot of Don Clarke. He had intensive treatment on his ankle ligaments and was named in the team for the second test in Wellington, only to find another complication as he and Ralph Caulton were both specialist left wings. Diack drew the short straw to play on the right, Caulton scored two tries in an 11-8 win, and the Otago man did not play in the third and fourth tests as the ankle was still not right. He trained like a man possessed over the summer and regained his top-line pace, and it was a blow when he missed selection for the All Blacks' 1960 tour of South Africa. "I was really disappointed to miss out. I thought I could have made a difference on that tour." Diack, All Black No 602, bowed out of top rugby aged 34 in 1964, having scored 53 tries and 706 points in 146 first-class games. Ernest Sinclair Diack was born in Invercargill on July 22, 1930. He was the eldest of four children to teachers Ernest (known as Charlie) and Molly Diack. The nickname emerged at the age of 10 months. 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He finished his schooling at Gore High School, where he was head prefect, captain of the cricket team, vice-captain of the rugby team, athletics champion and regimental sergeant-major of the cadets. Diack stayed at Knox College to begin a teaching degree in Dunedin, but returned to Pukerau every holidays to work as a hay contractor and farmer's hand. The story goes that, while tossing bales of hay on to a trailer, he counted each one because he was paid a halfpenny for two bales. His total when he finished was over a million bales — a record which Southlanders say stands to this day. After graduating in 1954, he started a masters in history so he could continue playing rugby for his beloved Otago University club. He later played for Zingari-Richmond, and played his last game at the age of 39. While the legacy of his rugby career included four hip replacement operations and two knee replacements, the sport remained a great love. 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A passion project was Margaret's garden full of fuschias — some 150 different varieties, regularly shown off to gardening groups and passers-by — while many happy holidays and summers were spent at a crib in Otematata. His daughter said Diack found a perfect partner in Margaret. "They absolutely loved one another. Everybody tells me they were just such a team," Philippa said. "They had intellectual conversations. Dad read the paper, cover to cover, and they'd have good conversations about politics and about sport. Mum loved her rugby too. She understood the game. "He was a great dad. He was always keen to see us get ahead and do well, and he encouraged us academically and, particularly, with sport." Diack taught at John McGlashan from 1961 to 1988. He taught geography, social studies and physical education, spent 13 years as deputy principal, and coached both the cricket and rugby teams. 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