We Need to Answer a Question
That question is: What is the future for the Port of Auckland.
I threw a per-verbal bomb amongst the pigeons today and posted on my Facebook to Councillors George Wood and Cameron Brewer this:
George and Cameron : I am going to throw a per-verbal bomb amongst the pigeons here. I think we need to come to an absolute FULL STOP on the Spatial Plan (The Draft Auckland Plan) until a question has been answered first: that being the Port of Auckland.I think an enquiry needs to be held into port on where to next with it. Do we: 1) Status Quo, 2) Relocate to Tauranga or Marsden Point, 3) Rebuild in South East Auckland.
This I believe needs to be done in order to best serve the city and New Zealand. Any recommendation and decision on the port will have major implications for Auckland and could even force a rewrite of The Spatial Plan. What we can not do is go on business as usual. The Port is sick and she needs a doctorThis I believe needs to be done in order to best serve the city and New Zealand. Any recommendation and decision on the port will have major implications for Auckland and could even force a rewrite of The Spatial Plan. What we can not do is go on business as usual. The Port is sick and she needs a doctor
It is a question that has to be answered sooner rather than later for the sake of Auckland and New Zealand
Port of Auckland Enquiry
Port of Auckland is sick and is not reaching its full economic potential (regardless of the union workers striking or not). Port of Tauranga effectively out-performs Auckland on just about every level. Something needs to be done to our port in Auckland in order to achieve its maximum economic benefits for the city and wider NZ.
| Port of Auckland |
Do we:
- Status Quo business as usual,
- Relocate to Tauranga or Marsden Point,
- Rebuild in South East Auckland.
What I did not ask was who should own the port to allow maximum economic performance. Should the Auckland Council own all 100% of the Port, sell down to either 51%, 49% or 25%, or sell the entire thing off (privatise). That question should also be looked at into the enquiry.
Effectively in holding an enquiry into the Port of Auckland, it will and should put the Draft Auckland (Spatial) Plan on hold. On hold until recommendations are made by the enquiry and Auckland Council goes through the decision making process of the recommendations and adopting them into the Draft Auckland Spatial Plan (as well as the Long Term Plan)
The Draft Auckland (Spatial) Plan needs to be put on hold as any decision on what to do with the Port of Auckland has serious if not CRITICAL ramifications for Auckland (and NZ) for well over the life of the Plan (30 years). Jobs, development, infrastructure, activity would all change if options such as relocation or rebuilding the port were enacted on.
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| Possible Rebuilding Site for Port of Auckland |
I would agree with you except that I see no reason why Ports of Auckland Limited can't work all this out for themself. If the Auckland Plan promotes a working port but one that does not allow for the growth that PoA wishes for then it should be leading infrasdtructure investment by selling off its land to acquire new land (although I don't like the area you've proposed - that area is far to precious). I have no problem with a working port in the central city, but as the years pass it should shrink away from the warves of Captain Cook and Marsden (http://www.poal.co.nz/about_us/interactive_map.htm)
ReplyDeleteWith improved rail access to the inland ports of Wiri and Te Papapa (Penrose/Otahuhu) there would be less need for more storage land on the coast.
Some excellent points you have made there.
ReplyDeleteBut I wonder for the time being if the mixed model approach (mix of public and private ownership) is needed to allow the port extra capital and so called freedom to do what it needs to to get maximum efficiency and benefit for Auckland and wider NZ.