Winston Peters promises shift of Auckland port to Northland

Thursday, 31 August 2017

Ports of Auckland is valued at $1.1 billion and is owned by Auckland Council.

Auckland mayor Phil Goff supports Winston Peters' proposal to relocate the Ports of Auckland.

The NZ First election promise has also been welcomed by local iwi Ngati Whatua Orakei, which offered financial support for the port's relocation.

Winston Peters will unveil his party's plans for Ports of Auckland in Wellington on Thursday.

Peters is vowing to shift container operations from Auckland to Northland should his party be in a position of influence after the election, which current polling is suggesting will be the case.

Peters said his party's 'cast iron commitment' would see operations move to Northport at Marsden Point near Whangarei by the end of 2027.

* Can Auckland handle hosting the next America's Cup?

* Thames or Manukau, Auckland port move will cost billions

* Peters calls for heads to roll over superannuation leak**

Goff said he was in favour of relocating the Ports of Auckland.

'I think most Aucklanders are, but they also believe there should still be a port in Auckland,' Goff said.

Moving it out of the CBD would restore the waterfront into a public space for all Aucklanders to enjoy.

However, no relocation decision would be made without Auckland Council's input on behalf of rate payers, he said.

A business case which stacked up both economically and environmentally would also be required, he said.

Ngati Whatua Orakei spokesperson Ngarimu Blair reiterated the iwi's support for moving the Port of Auckland.

'We believe the port is incompatible with a well-functioning and attractive CBD on one of the most stunning harbour settings anywhere in the world,' Blair said.

Moving the port further north would lead to an 'economic renaissance' in the area, he said.

Ngati Whatua was in a position to provide investment towards moving and replacing the Ports of Auckland if Peters proposal was put into action, he said.

Peters said it would stop ships' car deliveries to Auckland by the end of 2019 to free up the city's Captain Cook Wharf ahead of the America's Cup.

Peters said it would provide Auckland with 77ha of prime waterfront land for public use and the development of a new cruise ship terminal.

'The days of the Ports of Auckland as a container port and as a car yard are numbered,' he said.

'Aucklanders want their harbour back while Northlanders want the jobs and opportunity that would come from Northport's transformation.

'This is a cast iron commitment from NZ First but it needs NZ First to be in a pivotal position to demand it,' Peters said. 'That requires people in Northland and Auckland to seriously adjust how they plan to vote.'

The move would would create a special economic area near Northport, which would be duty-free, GST-free and tax-free, and could be replicated in Southland, Peters said.

Peters would outline the commitment in a speech to the Economic Development Agencies Conference in Wellington on Thursday.

Goff campaigned on moving the port, and in July said the location for the new port had been narrowed down to Thames or Manukau, but would cost billions of dollars.

Auckland Council, which owns the Ports of Auckland, recently valued the company at $1.1 billion.

National Road Carriers chief executive David Aitken said even a 'massive upgrade' of rail from Auckland to Marsden Pt would not handle the volume of freight now coming through the Ports of Auckland.

Road tunnels on the Northern motorway would not accommodate two tier car transporter rolling stock which would result in a car transport truck and trailer on the highway every two and a half minutes at the current levels of vehicles being imported, he said.

Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Michael Barnett said 140 additional drivers would be needed to transport freight to Northport.