Banks Peninsula MP Vanessa Weenink says Christchurch Cathedral should work within the money it already has, rather than seek more public funding.

Speaking to Chris Lynch Media, Weenink said Cabinet had already carefully considered a previous request for more money and declined it.

“If you think back to the last time the Cabinet was asked for money for the Cathedral, specifically they declined it on the basis that they thought that it would be a potentially risky project that may end up going into cost overruns,” Weenink said.

“They thought that it’s not okay to be spending public money, or more public money I should say, to a privately held church building.”

Weenink said the decision had to be viewed against the current fiscal environment.

“You’ve got to be considering the fiscal times that we’re in. We just announced $15 million for a pediatric palliative care service, so if we’re spending $15 million on a Cathedral, then what are we not able to make a choice about?”

She said those were the sorts of decisions governments had to make carefully.

“I think it’s instructive that the previous Labour government, that was splashing money around like anything, wouldn’t give money to this project.”

Weenink has also attracted attention online after posting an AI generated concept image showing what a different future for the Cathedral could look like.

The image showed a more open structure, retaining elements of the damaged building while creating a new public space around it.

Asked about the idea, Weenink said the project should be designed around the money available, rather than seeking more funding to match the original vision.

“I think what they should do is work into a project that fits into the fiscal envelope that they currently have,” she said.

Weenink said modern construction methods could offer other options.

“There’s new modern construction techniques that use offsite prefabricating, and things like those laminated wooden beams that are actually really strong.

“There’s all sorts of ways that you could do it, but you’ve got to imagine the project from the envelope that they have, not from starting from what they want to do. Let’s start from what we can do.”

Chris Lynch said the concept appeared similar in spirit to what former Christchurch Mayor Sir Bob Parker had originally envisaged, with part of the ruined structure retained as a reminder of the earthquakes and the city’s recovery.

“It would be a powerful reminder for Christchurch residents and tourists to see what has come, and in a way, the design you have created, or ChatGPT created, does that really beautifully,” Lynch said.