Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesman Michael Goldwater is encouraged that the government is aiming to boost productivity
to rebuild the economy. "However, the Government's announcement to extend port permits for pre-RMA activities for
another 20 years is asking the wrong question”, said Mr Goldwater.
"With regard to the Auckland waterfront, the real question is, what is the best use of Auckland's prime CBD waterfront
land?"
"If the government was serious about boosting productivity, they would not be locking in a low yielding, low
productivity industrial port zone right in the heart of our city, but actively promoting the enhancement of Auckland's
waterfront to maximise economic, social and environmental output and increase the productivity of what is the most
valuable real estate in New Zealand, prime CBD Auckland waterfront land".
Mr Goldwater continued, "Auckland has demonstrated how unproductive industrial port land can be transformed into
high-yielding and productive commercial, residential and public use with what it has achieved at the western end of its
waterfront, with Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter."
"Auckland will increase its productivity and economic output substantially by moving the port and releasing our
world-beating waterfront for far more productive use, which will also have positive downstream effects by reducing road
congestion and air pollution and also removes the need to spend billions of dollars to maintain a sunset piece of
infrastructure that's in the wrong place", Mr Goldwater said.