Gibbs to tell how he'd rule the world

ROB GARRETT

ON THE FARM: Alan Gibbs at The Farm.

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A Kiwi multi-millionaire is to invite high-paying guests on to his Never Never Land-style farm to hear how he would rule New Zealand.

Richlister Alan Gibbs will host former National Party leader Don Brash and ACT founder Sir Roger Douglas to discuss what they would do as "New Zealand's dictator for a year".

If guests at the champagne lunch aren't interested in politics they can wander among the farm's priceless giant sculptures and African wildlife. Gibbs, 70, has lavished some of his $450m fortune on The Farm, a 404-hectare sculpture park at Kaipara Harbour.

Visitors to the event, in February, will pay a "standard" or "premium donation" – the latter includes a ride in Gibb's invention, Aquada, an amphibious car.

The outdoor gallery boasts 22 sculptures by internationally renowned artists as well as giraffes, zebras, water buffalo and yaks.

The benefit will raise money for independent think tanks the Centre for Political Research and the Centre for Resource Management Studies.

Centre of Resource Management Studies director Owen McShane, said Mr Gibbs had suggested holding the benefit at the farm.It was like a "Disneyland", Mr McShane said. "People would crawl over glass to see these things. You have to pinch yourself, just thinking this place is sitting on the edge of the Kaipara Harbour."

The sculpture park was one of the biggest in the world, Mr McShane said. "If you're talking about galleries this would be up with the Tate or the Guggenheim Museum – just in terms of the calibre of the artists."

Dr Brash, friends with Mr Gibbs since primary school, said the topic up for debate was "an enticing one". He said he might speak about his plans to close the income gap between New Zealanders and Australians by 2025.

Rob Garrett, director of a fine arts company, said the sculptures were priceless.

"To have someone on a rural property at the end of the world do something of this scale and artistic excellence is incredibly rare."

Gibbs, who founded Gibbs Technologies, is an entrepreneur who has been involved in manufacturing and merchant banking. He co-owned New Zealand's largest car dealership chain and was a key force behind the introduction of Sky to New Zealand.

He also led a syndicate that purchased Telecom.

The sculptures include major works by international artists including Te Tuhirangi Contour, a 257m steel wall by Richard Serra, Arches, by British artist Andy Goldsworthy, and a vast stretched fabric piece by Amish Kapoor.

- © Fairfax NZ News