Ports of Auckland row damaging to economy

The Mar­itime Union says the Ports of Auck­land is too impor­tant to the coun­try to be drawn into a local pow­er strug­gle.

May­or of Auck­land Wayne Brown today stat­ed he was cur­rent­ly work­ing on replac­ing the Board of POAL fol­low­ing pub­lic dis­agree­ments about the per­for­mance and future of the Ports.

Mar­itime Union Auck­land Branch Sec­re­tary Rus­sell Mayn says it would be a mis­take to remove the cur­rent Board and a more con­struc­tive dis­cus­sion was need­ed.

“There are legit­i­mate dif­fer­ent views on the future direc­tion of the Ports, but we can’t let its strate­gic val­ue to Auck­land and New Zealand be dam­aged.”

He says that the cur­rent Board and Man­age­ment have engaged with the work­force and the Ports had a pos­i­tive future.

“There has been a new focus on good work­place rela­tions and a high­er qual­i­ty of health and safe­ty skill sets on the cur­rent Board.”

This was reflect­ed in the recent improved per­for­mance of the Ports.

Mr Mayn says the Ports of Auck­land should not been viewed as sim­ply a mon­ey mak­ing ven­ture in itself.

“While POAL can and will deliv­er returns to its own­ers, the peo­ple of Auck­land, it has a much greater val­ue in serv­ing as the major import port of New Zealand.”

Mr Mayn says the Ports are only just recov­er­ing from the mul­ti­ple hits of the failed automa­tion project, COVID and glob­al ship­ping dis­rup­tions.

“The pri­ma­ry goal now should be sta­bil­i­ty and ensur­ing a secure sup­ply chain, which means we need to con­tin­ue the cur­rent progress at the Ports of Auck­land.”