Industrialist sees tie-up as turning point in public asset policy nationwide

The Port of Auckland can no longer be expanded because of the growing opposition from a coalition of leisure and environmental groups commented Napier industrialist Ken Evans who also drew attention to the increasing pressure on the Auckland port to release land for high density housing.

Mr Evans (pictured) of Napier Engineering was commenting on the alliance between the ports of Auckland and Napier.

The deal between the two port authorities had the strength he said of recognising Napier’s position as the obvious alternative port in the North Island.

In contrast to Auckland he said Napier had the ability to expand its deep water capacity without infringing on leisure and environmental sensitivities. Neither is Napier’s port in competition for residential land.

The port alliance coincided with Napier Engineering’s own promotion of the port as a centre for ship repairs.

“You look at Auckland’s situation now and Napier is the obvious single discharge/ load alternative.”

In terms of congestion, Mr Evans stated that Auckland ratepayers, who owned the port of Auckland were already stretched seeking to cope with an “unmanageable” road traffic problem.

Auckland’s port management he said had recognised their core infrastructure problem of being congested and unable to expand.

The alliance with Napier gave Auckland a “workable solution advantageous to both ports.”

The notion of moving Auckland's port somewhere else he described as “utterly unfeasible” both politically and economically.

He said that the flexibility and resource-sharing of the Auckland – Napier port alliance was going to be regarded as a set piece solution in other cases where immense public infrastructure investments could neither be expanded nor abandoned.“So often in the past we have seen local public authorities saying in effect ‘if we can’t have it – neither can you.’

“The Auckland – Napier tie up now sets an important precedent in the matter of the nation obtaining by sharing and cooperation the optimum value from infrastructure investment.”

FRom the MSCNewsWire reporters' desk, Monday, 8 August 2016