Whangārei District Council wants Navy to move north

Northland businesses are backing moving Ports of Auckland work to Northport, at Marsden Pt, above, while Whangārei District Council is keen to get the navy to also move north.

As support for moving Port of Auckland's work to Northland grows among the region's business community, Whangārei District Council is already working to get the NZ Navy to move to the region.

And the Navy is only considering two options for its future - stay at Devonport or move most or all of its facilities and many of its 2000 staff to Whangārei.

A Government report released earlier this month found Ports of Auckland should move from its central location in the Super City. One of the options is that the port be moved to Northport, the deep water port at Marsden Pt. The Upper North Island Supply Chain (Unisc) working group's report promises an economic boom for the North if the $10 billion port move to Northland goes ahead. Among prospects on offer are thousands of extra jobs each year and the development of rail and road links.

Northland's political leaders have already backed the plan and this week Northland Chamber of Commerce and Northland Inc held a meeting with business owners from the region to update them on the plan.

The reception from the business owners was ''almost unanimously highly positive, and business owners were quick to share the likely economic benefits, particularly job growth, that will result from the new investment,'' Chamber chief executive Stephen Smith said.

And on Thursday Whangārei District Councillors discussed the port move at their monthly meeting, where it was revealed the council was already talking to the navy about moving its base from Devonport to Whangarei.

A report to the meeting said WDC staff had been working on the possible port move and navel base move for a number of years.

Both the Navy and Ports have long planning horizons and it is important that the groundwork is done well in advance. In addition, any decision to move either the Port or Navy from Auckland will be largely data and information driven so it is essential that we have the information and policies to support any decision to come to Marsden Pt, the report said.

''WDC has been advocating for the relocation from Devonport to Whangārei for many years. Since at least 2014 the Mayor has raised the matter with the Chief of Navy, usually annually around Waitangi celebrations. In addition, staff have had a number of discussions with Ministry of Defence officials,'' it said.

''Recently, we were advised that the Navy was considering only two options for its future base. Stay at Devonport or move most or all of its facilities and many of its 2000 staff to Whangārei. WDC provided a summary document to the Defence Force which answers their questions and makes a strong case for Whangārei as a naval base.''

Similarly, WDC has been advocating for some or all of the Ports of Auckland to be moved to Northport. Elected members have made a number of strong public statements of support going back at least to 2017.

The council has been taking advice from Northport about what would most help them to attract Ports of Auckland business and have been working to help facilitate that outcome. Unsurprisingly, improved transport links, road, rail and coastal shipping are high on Northport's list.

The council decided to note the report on the strategy for bringing the Navy and Ports of Auckland business to Marsden Pt and request staff to continue working with government officials with a view to bringing the Port and Navy to Whangārei.