Royal gaze no longer looks over Ashburton’s council meetings

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Something has been missing at Ashburton's council meetings since it moved to a new home at Te Whare Whakatere.

The royal gaze.

The late Queen Elizabeth’s photo had adorned the council chambers for almost 40 years, keeping a watchful eye on the district’s democracy in action.

Her portrait remained in the old council chamber on Havelock St until the council made the move to Te Whare Whakatere in January.

Even though King Charles III had his coronation in May last year, the council had been waiting for a portrait of the new monarch to go up in the new council chamber, Hine Paaka.

Democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durham said the official photos became available from the Governor General earlier this month.

“We have downloaded a photo which will be printed and framed.

“The mayor will choose the place to hang the photo in the chamber, with advice from the art gallery and museum director.”

Councils choose whether or not to have a portrait of the monarch, and there was no requirement to remove or replace the official photograph of Queen Elizabeth II which was previously displayed in former council chamber, Durham said.

“With the relocation to Te Whare Whakatere, all photos were removed from the old building.

“The photo of Queen Elizabeth has been retained in council’s archive collection at the Ashburton Museum.”

The photo of Queen Elizabeth II was dated 1986, she said.

“We’re not sure when it was placed in the chamber and it may even have been in the Borough Council Chamber too, given that the district council came into operation in October 1989.”

The portrait of King Charles was taken in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in June.

It will be the only portrait or artwork to feature in the chamber.

At a meeting on June 26, the council accepted a gift of a drawing by Cuthbert Denham of the old borough council and public library building built in 1884 into the civic art collection.

Deputy mayor Liz McMillan asked if any artwork would be hung in Hine Paaka, acknowledging they were waiting for the King’s portrait.

Ashburton Art Gallery director Shirin Khosraviani said that it wasn’t deemed suitable to include the council chamber in the artwork rotation plan because the hanging requires screwing any frames to the wall and the chamber's maple beech panelling can’t be repaired.