Media release promise – 1
9 March 2015

Len Brown breaks promise on port expansion

Mayor Len Brown has reneged on his promise to Aucklanders about port expansion says Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesperson Michael Goldwater.

“What makes it worse,” he says, “is that staff in the Mayor’s office have contributed to the more narrowly focused NZIER report.”

Stop Stealing Our Harbour says the Bledisloe Wharf extensions will completely block the view from Queens Wharf to the outer harbour, one of the most significant views on the Auckland waterfront and one that ratepayers have just spent $40 Million on.

Mr Goldwater says in August 2013 the Mayor announced an intention to commission a study - commonly referred to as ‘stage 2’ - to look at the long-term future of the Auckland port.

“The Auckland Plan Committee agenda of 28 August 2013 records Len Brown saying: ‘Before we make any decisions about whether the Port expands or otherwise, we need an informed discussion with Aucklanders, underpinned by a robust study that includes consideration of economic, social and environmental factors’.”

Mr Goldwater says the Mayor’s commitment to doing the study before any expansion is quite clear, as was his commitment to an informed discussion with Aucklanders.

The NZIER study had limited scope and its ‘Port study 2’ title has caused confusion for the public and some councillors. “The misnomer seems to be designed to make us believe the promised study has been carried out.”

Mr Goldwater says Auckland’s port company needs to be pulled in to line and its claims this week that it needs to expand urgently conflict with earlier statements by the company.

“In May 2013 Ports of Auckland issued a statement that ‘there was no need to decide on either (expansion) option right now’ reiterating CEO Tony Gibson’s sense of non-urgency when he said that with efficiency gains the company could probably operate on its current footprint for 20 years*.

About Stop Stealing Our Harbour:
Stop Stealing Our Harbour wants Ports of Auckland to halt all work on Bledisloe Wharf extensions until a complete Stage 2 study is complete. It is an advocacy group comprising representatives of boating, political, business, and professional organisations as well as lawyers and architects.

* http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10845285

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