Former prime ministers Helen Clark and John Key are backing calls to move Auckland’s port operations to Whangarei.
They are endorsing a new social media campaign, Waterfront 2029, set up to gather support for the proposal.
Clark says moving car and container operations out of Auckland to Northport “is a big vision and a win-win for Northland and Auckland”.
She says it would provide regional development and employment benefits for Northland and could bring benefits for the development of Auckland as a world-class city.
Key also backs the move and says “the real opportunity to unlock the full potential of a world-class city like Auckland rests with relocating the port”.
Waterfront 2029 spokesman Michael Goldwater says Auckland has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unlock the value of its waterfront.
“Great waterfront cities grow around ports. But as those cities grow, their ports move to less densely populated areas and less expensive land.
“Auckland is now decades behind. The time has come to stop the endless report writing and for our Government to make final decisions about the future,” Goldwater says.
*Go to the campaign’s Facebook and Twitter pages for more information.
