Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has signed a landmark agreement with the Port of Auckland (POAL) and the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ), formalising a new tripartite relationship for the city’s waterfront.
The Tripartite Accord was formally signed on September 23 at the first official tripartite forum. In a LinkedIn post, Brown says the accord delivers on one of his key election promises.
“When I sat down with the Port of Auckland and the Maritime Union of New Zealand during the Long-term Plan process, the goal was to develop a plan to make the most of Auckland’s port and waterfront, and to cement a tripartite relationship,” he says.
“We achieved this milestone with our first official tripartite forum where I formally signed a Tripartite Accord on behalf of the council, alongside our POAL and MUNZ partners.”
The accord, approved by the council’s governing body in July, sets out shared principles for collaboration on the Port Plan. It confirms Auckland’s port land, assets and operations will remain under council ownership, with the port projected to return $1.1 billion in profits to Auckland Council over the next decade. It also includes commitments to health and safety, greater transparency and stronger co-operation between the three parties.
“It’s the first time we’ve done something like this,” Brown says. “It sets out shared principles for working together and cements council’s relationship with our port and union partners, to work together on the Port Plan, for the benefit of Auckland.”
Brown says Aucklanders are already seeing benefits from the port’s improved performance.
“It sets the incoming council up for the new term and the opportunity to build on the foundation established with the port and union, to get good outcomes for Aucklanders.”
