Northland's mayors ask for donations to lobby for five infrastructure projects

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

Northland's three mayors are pushing for five major infrastructure projects to come to Northland, including moving Ports of Auckland's imports to Northport.

The campaign, called Kia Kaha Northland, is aimed at pressuring Jacinda Ardern and other decision-makers who will 'determine Northland's economic prosperity for the next 100 years', the mayors said in a combined press release.

The Government is considering all five projects or has committed to fund part of the work – including a dry dock and naval base in Whangārei, Northport expansion, four-laning from Auckland to Whangārei, and a rail line and spur to Marsden Point.

But the campaign has already hit its first snag – a need for funding.

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Kaipara mayor Dr Jason Smith says the Kia Kaha Northland campaign is a unique opportunity but funding could be an issue.

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Private funding paid for an initial video and social media advertising but campaigners were now asking for donations.

State Highway 1 south of Whangārei is one of the pressure points needing upgrading, Northland's mayors say.

Kaipara mayor Dr Jason Smith said it was important the campaign was not paid for by ratepayers and the mayors were acting as private citizens.

'In Kaipara District Council, we have zero dollars of budget for economic development in our current Long Term Plan, so it would be hugely, hugely complicated,' he said.

Smith acknowledged the lack of funding was difficult, given the lack of wealth in Northland.

'One of the challenges is that people may really support it [the message] but the people in the north may not have a lot of money.'

The heart of the campaign was about improving the economic prosperity in Northland, as well as improving Northland's poor road statistics, which are the worst in the country, Smith said.

Smith said Northland's leaders had never spoken with one voice like this before, giving the project added strength.

The mayors all say a unique set of economic and political circumstances has put the five projects high on the Labour-NZ First coalition's agenda all at once, with a decision about the port move due in May.

Kia Kaha Northland has already secured backing from a major political ally, Deputy Prime Minister and NZ First leader Winston Peters.

Peters, a born-and-bred Northlander, said in a Facebook endorsement: 'Nobody is in any doubt where my party stands on these five projects'.

The campaign has drawn mixed reaction on social media, with some Northlanders saying they fully support the projects and others saying the area's infrastructure – such as water supply, sewerage and hospitals – could not cope.

Some Northlanders have also raise concerns about the environmental impact of expanding Northport and dredging the harbour, as well as the visual impact of the dry dock and naval base.

FIVE PROJECTS BEING CONSIDERED

The five infrastructure projects being lobbied for are already under consideration by the current Government:

The $240 million dry dock at Marsden Point would enable Australasian ships to be serviced and repaired in Whangārei, rather than Asia. Northport has already applied for funding for the dry dock, with the case being backed by New Zealand's Shipping Federation.
The new base for the Royal New Zealand Navy at Whangārei's old port would replace what is at Auckland's Devonport. Northport was also working to make this possible, with a review of the Defence Force's infrastructure due in September.
The expanded Northport would take cars and containers currently imported at Ports of Auckland, with a decision about the high-profile port move due in May.
The completion of a four-lane expressway from Whangārei to Auckland would replace one of the most dangerous roads in the country. The Government announced a four-lane highway from Whangārei to Marsden Point as part of last week's $12b infrastructure package, ensuring at least half of this project will go ahead.
The rail line in Northland last week received a $110m boost, including money to buy land for a corridor to Marsden Point. The mayors want a double-track rail to be fast-tracked and the spur to Marsden Point to be built.

More information about Kia Kaha Northland is available on its Facebook page.