No Mandate to Sell Westhaven Marina

"The Ports of Auckland must rethink its plan to sell the Westhaven marina" say City Vision and Labour Councillors Richard Northey and Glenda Fryer. "The marinas are a part of Auckland's heritage and can't be hocked off to the largest bidder. The Ports of Auckland has no mandate to sell the marinas and land associated with them."

Councillor Richard Northey and Councillor Glenda Fryer will put the item on the Agenda of the Auckland City Council at its September meeting so that Auckland City Can put its weight behind a range of options that will keep the land in Auckland hands.

"Auckland City should support the boat owners who want to retain the land, on condition that the land be permanently retained by the new owners and free public access allowed, or we should request that the land be transferred to Auckland City." says Councillor Fryer.

Councillor Richard Northey says that it is a historical accident that the marinas have ended up with the Ports of Auckland. They were part of former Harbour Board property up until the 1980s when Harbour Board was abolished. Most land holdings of the old Harbour Board which were not part of the Ports operation were transferred to the Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council. The Ports of Auckland at that time insisted that the marinas were a necessary part of the operation of the port.

"If the Ports of Auckland no longer need the marinas as part of their 'core business' then that land should rightly revert to Aucklanders. Given that the ownership was accidental and based on continuing ownership by the Ports Company, they have a moral obligation to ensure that it is either owned by a public body or a consortium of Aucklanders who will continue on that obligation to Aucklanders."

Says Councillor Northey. "Quite apart from the moral obligation, there is clearly a risk in the Ports of Auckland selling a property when it hasn't even consulted its Treaty partner the Ngati Whatua over the ownership issues. The POA has obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, and to ignore them is just a sign of bad faith and poor management."

Posted Tue 02 Sep 2003