Brian Rudman: $300m dowry hints at rocky union on the waterfront

In Sydney they're celebrating the nuptials of that unlikely couple Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.

Here in Auckland, a couple of colleagues and I were summoned to witness an even more improbable plighting of troth.

Mayor Dick Hubbard, Auckland Regional Council chairman Mike Lee and Ports of Auckland chief executive Geoff Vazey had invited us to witness their public declaration that all was sweetness and light over Tank Farm redevelopment plans.

Mayor Hubbard cooed that they were moving "from courtship to marriage" and Mr Lee quipped that it was not a "shotgun wedding". All those involved were "willing partners" and "no one is putting the hard word on anyone".

The love-in was organised following revelations in the Herald that Auckland City was contemplating paying up to $300 million to become a joint venture partner with the ARC Group (which includes ARC investment arm Auckland Regional Holdings, owner of Ports of Auckland) in the redevelopment to ensure greater input in the design.

"We're most willing for Auckland City to be involved, but it's not essential from our point of view," Mr Lee said. "It would be helpful because it would facilitate a citywide, region-wide unified approach to things, but it's absolutely not essential."

Now it would be wonderful to think Auckland local politics was just one big happy family. But I would be risking my credibility by declaring it so on the strength of one carefully stage-managed session.

The very reason Auckland City wants to buy into the Tank Farm development is that it doesn't altogether trust the ARC family - now and in the future - to get it right.

The mayor admits the city's regulatory powers can be "a bit inflexible" and that in drawing up regulations, "it is always hard to perceive exactly what's going to happen". He said that Mr Lee and he were "getting on well, but who knows what the personalities are going to be in 10 or 15 years' time?"

What was encouraging were indications from the ARC group that demands for a new authority to take control of the redevelopment project were at least being looked at. However, the fact a review was being undertaken was about all we were told, and unfortunately the focus seemed to be on creating a body to run the project once the planning was completed.

But surely the place for an independent development authority is at the beginning of the process, so it can finalise the planning as well as carry out the execution.

The leaked "plans in progress" the Herald ran a couple of weeks back, with significantly more open space, are a great improvement on the original proposals. But as everyone kept emphasising, we have only one chance to get it right.

As for the money-go-round, that remains as confusing as ever, with talk of Ports of Auckland having to sell the land to its owner, ARH, and how each has to continue to produce a profit from the project and pay a dividend to the ultimate owner, ARC, so it can buy some trains and stormwater pipes.

Why Auckland City politicians should want to get ratepayers caught up in this muddle I have no idea. Best the mayor and councillors take Mr Lee at his word, and withdraw from the formal joint venture proposal.

After all, on Monday the two leaders were claiming a relationship, as far as the Tank Farm was concerned, akin to marriage. In such circumstances, the ACC's offer of a $300 million dowry to keep the groom honest seems to doubt the longevity of the relationship, much like a pre-nuptial settlement.

Indeed, to prove true love, Mr Lee would have to invite his Auckland City partner on to the redevelopment governance committee without silver having to cross anyone's palm.

In a week when we learned our rates were to rise by 13.3 per cent and that Eden Park has its hand out for $60 million, it's hardly the time to offer to spend $300 million on a redevelopment that another body is willing to fund.