The Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU) have voiced concerns over the Tōnui consortium’s proposal to establish a long-term operating partnership at Lyttelton Port.
The proposal, submitted to Christchurch City Holdings Limited (CCHL), would see three Ngāi Tahu rūnanga, operating under the name Tōnui, partner with global ports operator DP World through a model that would retain public ownership of the port’s land and strategic assets while creating a jointly owned operating company.
MUNZ national secretary Carl Findlay says the unions respect the involvement of local rūnanga but are concerned about DP World’s role in the proposal.
“We have absolute respect for local rūnanga, but the inclusion of DP World raises serious concerns for workers, ratepayers, and democratic accountability,” Findlay says.
He argues that a long-term operational lease would effectively amount to privatisation of port operations.
Findlay also pointed to DP World’s ownership of P&O Ferries in the United Kingdom, referencing the company’s controversial dismissal of hundreds of workers in 2022.
RMTU president Aubrey Wilkinson says the unions are concerned about the impact a foreign-owned port operator could have on local supply chains and costs.
“The example of privatised ports in Australia shows global infrastructure operators can use market power to drive steep tariff increases, shifting costs onto exporters, businesses, and consumers,” Wilkinson says.
“Our local exporters, businesses, and consumers will bear the brunt of skyrocketing landside tariff hikes, stripping wealth out of Canterbury to line the pockets of overseas operators.”
The unions are calling on Christchurch City Council and CCHL to ensure any proposal involving Lyttelton Port is subject to full public scrutiny and aligns with council expectations around protecting strategic public assets.
The Tōnui consortium has previously said its proposal would retain public ownership of the port while bringing additional capital and operational expertise to support future investment and growth.
In response to questions from TransportTalk, a Tōnui spokesperson confirmed the consortium had submitted its proposal to CCHL and said it would not comment further while the assessment and due diligence process is underway.
