2 Dec 2019

Decision looms on whether Ports of Auckland should weigh anchor

From Nine To Noon, 9:05 am on 2 December 2019
AUCKLAND - MAY 22 2016:May new cars on Captain Cook Wharf in Ports of Auckland.In 2012, New Zealand imported 173,000 motor vehicles, mainly from Japan

Photo: 123RF

Cabinet will soon make a decision on what to do with the Ports of Auckland. This week Cabinet's development committee with consider the latest report from the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy working group, which reportedly recommends moving "much or all" of Auckland's freight business to Northport near Whangarei. It also recommends keeping and modernising the Auckland's cruise-ship terminal, rejunvenating the main trunk line north and building a new inland freight hub - and making a start on all of this now. In dollar terms, it says the cost of leaving the port where it is would be about $8 billion, while moving it would be $10 billion and Auckland Council would be $6 billion better off. Kathryn discusses the leaked report with the chair of the working group for the Upper North Island Supply Chain Strategy, Wayne Brown.