06 August 2019 
Official Information Request No 8140005142 
 (Please quote this in any correspondence) 
Edwin Hollier 
By email: [FYI request #10676 email] 
 
Dear Edwin, 
 
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 
Re: Use of Aotea Square 
 
I refer to your email, which we received on 4 July 2019, requesting information about the 
number of days of the year in which Aotea Square is closed off for private events such as 
the recent ice -skating event. 
 
Auckland Live coordinates the use of the Aotea Square for a large range of events and 
public gatherings for community enjoyment aligned with the Aotea Arts Quarter Framework 
with a focus to balance hosting programmed events with enabling local cultural groups, arts 
students and independent performance collectives to showcase their work in this civic 
(community) environment.  The coordination by one party (through a centralised booking 
service) also assists in the management of community activity including protests/ral ies. 
 
There are no private events held on Aotea Square, however there are on occasion ticketed 
activity.  In the last financial year 70 booked events took place, for just over 200,000 people. 
Of these events, the summer activation 1000 doors, winter activation Aotea Ice Rink and 
events held in the Spiegeltent for Auckland Arts Festival and Auckland Writers Festival were 
ticketed.  In the previous year those events would total 112 event days. 
 
Those events are on the paved area of Aotea Square (known as the Marae Aotea) and are 
enclosed spaces with ticket entry. Al  these events are subject to standard consent 
requirements.  
 
The rest of the Aotea Square (upper terrace, grassed area, the Queen Street Stage and 
surrounding  areas are continuously open to the public. 
 
If you believe Auckland Council has not responded appropriately to your request, you can 
apply to apply to the Ombudsman,  to seek an investigation and review of the decision, under 
section 27(3) of the LGOIMA,.  Information about how to make a complaint is available at 
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602. 
 
If you have any further queries please contact me on 09 301 0101 quoting Official 
Information Request No 8140005142. 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
Samantha Sinclair 
Privacy & LGOIMA Business Partner 
Democracy Services 
Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142  |  aucklandcouncil.govt.nz  |  Ph 09 301 0101 

---