New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters has taken a swipe at suggestions the Ports of Auckland should be moved to the Firth of Thames.
Speaking at a rally on the Auckland waterfront, he reiterated his plans to introduce legislation that would force the Ports of Auckland from its current site in favour of a move to Northport in Whangarei.
“The days of the Ports of Auckland as a giant car yard are numbered,” he told the crowd.
Peters says upgrading Northport would cost less than moving Auckland’s port to the Firth of Thames, which is estimated to be $5.5 billion.
However, he failed to give definite figures on how much upgrading Northport would cost.
The Northport upgrade would include a rail spur to the port and an upgrade of the Northland to Auckland rail line, he says.
His plan would see cars removed from Ports of Auckland by 2019 and containers by 2027.
Previously, the industry has rubbished Peters’ plan, citing the huge cost of upgrading roads and rail between Auckland and Northland as a major impediment.
