Banks supports boaties' marina bid

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Auckland Mayor John Banks says he supports boating groups' plans to raise about $60 million to buy the premium Westhaven Marina.

But Mr Banks indicated the city council was unlikely to put money into a bid to secure the marina, which Ports of Auckland plans to advertise for sale by tender overseas.

"Westhaven is a fabulous part of the city for outdoor recreation - for jogging, rowing, boating, for fun and enjoying the salt fresh air," said Mr Banks.

"It's imperative the nature of Westhaven is retained, for what you see is what we want to keep.

"I would be concerned if it were flogged off, good people tipped out, big gates and tolls for local users and over-the-top rates for berth owners."

He said the marina and surrounding roads were already public land because Ports of Auckland was 80 per cent owned by Infrastructure Auckland.

But he recognised Infrastructure Auckland needed cash from a sale of port assets to help pay for expensive transport and stormwater projects facing the region.

He said the city did not have a "bottomless pit of money" to buy Westhaven and the Hobson West Marina, which the company is also selling.

Only last June, the city council paid the company $5.1 million for 6000sq m of the Eastern Viaduct, next to te Wero Island in the Viaduct Harbour.

Westhaven is the largest marina on the Waitemata Harbour, with 1800 vessels, and Ports of Auckland describes Hobson West, with its 22 berths for 16m to 50m-long vessels in the centre of Downtown Auckland, as a "world-class marina".

The company said yesterday that although it was starting an international tender process within the next few months, that did not necessarily mean the marinas would go to overseas buyers.

But boating clubs based at Westhaven and the Westhaven Marina Users' Association said yesterday they feared new owners would be investors who would crank up the prices of keeping a boat at the marina.

Users' association chairman Geoff Thorpe said the association had already made tentative inquiries about raising money for a tender bid.

A meeting would be held by users and boating clubs early next week to discuss a battle plan to bring the marina under control of a trust.

Minister for Auckland Judith Tizard said last night that the Ports of Auckland and Infrastructure Auckland must consult Aucklanders before taking any steps to sell the marinas.

She said Aucklanders would want the marinas to remain publicly owned and accessible.

Infrastructure Auckland chairman John Robertson said the organisation had confidence in the board of Ports of Auckland and would not interfere.

"Its a Ports call," he said.

"The Ports are there to generate value for shareholders and we don't interfere."

The company says the marinas do not fit within its plans to concentrate on its container business at the eastern end of the waterfront.