The Notice of Motion today to amend the Long-term Plan to stop the sale of our minority share in the Wellington Airport has passed, meaning that we will proceed with a Long-term Plan amendment, consulting on a no sale as well as other practicable options.

I’m disappointed in today’s outcome as I firmly believe this proposal was in the best interests of our city. The sale of the minority stake in the airport would have been recycled into a new public asset, an ethical Perpetual Investment Fund, that would have helped alleviate the growing insurance risk we face due to earthquakes and climate change.

It enabled us to pass a Long-term Plan that focused on the big issues we faced, such as the housing crisis, the climate crisis, and increased water funding.

As a progressive Mayor I have always sought to deal with the difficulty our city faces in a way that allows us to invest in a thriving, affordable city, while building long-term resilience to climate shocks and natural disaster. That is what this proposal was about.

However, I am just one vote around the Council table and other Councillors have voted for it not to proceed. I accept that. Now we must move on and look at other ways to address the challenges we face.

That will involve some tough choices, and I hope the Councillors who voted down this proposal today are willing to take them.

I’m deeply saddened that the bringing of this Notice of Motion has deliberately excluded our Council’s two Pouiwi reps and severely compromised our formal Tākai Here partnership with mana whenua. That is something I have sought to avoid as our commitment to Te Tiriti and partnership is bigger than any decision about the airport or otherwise. Mana whenua were here long before the airport was built and this process has clearly hurt our partnership with them.

I hope all Councillors will reflect on how this decision has been made and work to rebuild that partnership. That will be a focus for me in the coming weeks and months.

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