Wellington City councillor switches vote on airport share sale

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Nīkau Wi Neera talks about the importance of Wellington City Council not selling its shares in Wellington airport.

Wellington City councillor Nīkau Wi Neera, among the most ardent in opposition to selling the council’s airport shares, is changing his vote in a move likely to save the deal.

The Wellington City Council wants to sell is 34% stake in Wellington Airport and use the funds to set up an investment fund to help the city after a major disaster.

Wi Neera, a Green councillor, along with Labour councillors Nureddin Abdurahman and Ben McNulty were dubbed the “airport three” for their staunch opposition to the sale and asset sales in general.

Wi Neera, who once said he wanted no part of a Green Party that sold public assets, announced his about-turn on Wednesday.

There was a clause in a notice of motion, signed by Wi Neera and aimed at ending the sale, which he said “lead to the disenfranchisement of our mana whenua representatives”.

The council has two two unelected mana whenua representatives, both in favour of the sale. But they had voting rights only on committees, meaning they could vote for it in committee but not when it came back for final council sign-off.

Councillor Nīkau Wi Neera is now planning to vote for a sale of airport shares.

Wi Neera remained “utterly opposed” to the airport sale but planned to vote for it. The notice of motion will be voted on October 10.

“I am committed to the constitutional document of our nation, and for Māori to have a voice at the decision making table,” Wi Neera said.

“For this reason, I cannot support any notice of motion which would jeopardise our mana whenua partners’ rights to govern with us,” he said.

He confirmed he would not vote for the notice of motion as things stood.

That would likely mean a split vote on October 10 council meeting, with eight for and eight against. That would give Mayor Tory Whanau the casting vote and she is strongly in favour of the sale.

Wi Neera was asked why he only decided now that the mana whenua representatives were being disenfranchised.

He said a tangi and scheduling meant he had only just been able to sit down and hear their mana whenua concerns on Wednesday.