This morning it was announced that the World of Wearable Arts has signed a contract with Wellington for the next nine years. That’s great news.

WOW might not be your cup of tea, but it’s a big boost to our hospitality and retail sectors (worth more than $15.1 million, apparently). Sure, friends who work in venues near the TSB Arena complain about the number of caesar salads ordered, but those busy weeks help pay the bills for the rest of the year. And while one letter writer complained about WOW cougars, everyone I know still feels safe and secure walking the streets free of harassment, unlike during the Sevens.

WOW’s also great for people who work in the Arts, who can be assured of at least one steady pay cheque per year. I just hope that the creative directors realise that golliwogs are never ever okay. The use of one this year in the children’s sequence was utterly despicable and totally unnecessary, given that a shirtless male dancer with plastic Ken hair would have appealed even more to the target demographic anyway…