NBR – Tuesday, 17 November 2015:
Likely mayoral candidate Phil Goff has been blasted for his views over possible Auckland city asset sales.
Councillor Cameron Brewer says Mr Goff, Labour’s Auckland affairs spokesman, only delivered criticism and complete dismissiveness over the council reviewing its assets and potential asset sales in commenting on the issue late last week.
“To make matters worse, he admitted he has not even read the reports prepared for the council and to be debated on Thursday.”
The council has received two reports from Cameron Partners and EY over alternative sources of finance and among the recommendations are a full or partial sell-down of its Auckland International Airport shares, Ports of Auckland, its diversified financial asset portfolio and Auckland Energy Consumer Trust.
There are also suggestions to sell some of the council’s 13 golf courses to free up land for housing and using self-funding PPPs, tax increment financing, selling naming rights for stadiums and the old chestnuts of motorway tolls and a regional fuel tax, which the government has in the past dismissed.
The reports will be debated at the council’s finance and performance committee. In the past mayor Len Brown and other councillors have been resolute in resisting calls for asset sales. Mr Brown says it will never happen as long as he is in office.
“Mr Goff is simply wheeling out Labour’s failed political position again and in doing so openly admitted he hadn’t even read the reports,” Mr Brewer says.
“His instant ‘no’ to Auckland Council’s review of its asset holdings shows he is not thinking of what will be best for the city and what is in the best interests of the region’s long-term financial future.
“That attitude will alarm many in the business community who were hoping for a more open-minded Mr Goff.”
He says local government is about taking a breath, reading the reports and potentially adopting a pragmatic approach to policy. “Not even I have articulated a position on all of this and I am supposedly wedded to the centre right.
“Let’s absorb the reports and let’s have the debate first.”