Tauranga City Council’s decision to sell the Marine Precinct at Sulphur Point has been heavily criticised at a meeting this afternoon.
The Council announced the sale of the precinct — established to support local fishing and the marine industries — in May. This decision was made prior to the Tauranga City Council’s first election since 2019, which was held in July this year.
At the time of the sale, the previous council said it would “guarantee its future in bringing significant economic benefit to the wider community”.
As part of the sale, the purchaser – a private, unknown buyer – is required to “develop the balance of the precinct with the intention of establishing a purpose-build marine service facility” to provide a base for the region’s sector.
Mark Ngata of Moana New Zealand, the country’s largest seafood business which has operated out of Tauranga for more than 30 years, told councillors “we’re not going away”.
“We find it unconscionable that we can put all this investment into this particular area over 30 years and that’s just us… and then have it with a pen, we’re gone, haere atu, see you later,” Ngata said.
Moana New Zealand is 100% owned by all 58 iwi, and Tauranga is its second-largest port.
“We’re not going away. You’ve taken away our location, so you’ve displaced us as a sector. So, where are you going to put us?” he asked.
Advocate Erika Harvey also spoke at the meeting and told councillors the decision to sell Marine Precinct is a “disaster waiting to happen”.
“This deal is the latest in a long series of questionable decisions made behind closed doors of this council. You claim to have consulted iwi and the public, but iwi should’ve had the first right of refusal. From what we’ve been told, this hasn’t happened,” she said.
Harvey called for an independent investigation into the sale of the Marine Precinct, “and all the other deals that sound similar, and don’t add up and don’t make sense”.
Ngata and Harvey’s speeches were met with rounds of applause.
Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale told those at the meeting he is “committed to working with you and everyone else to find solutions… I give you my word on that”.
“This is an unconditional agreement under the previous governance structure. It’s important to understand that.. it’s up to us to work constructively with all parties involved.”
He added “personally I am not comfortable with the risk that has been put on the ratepayer for the return that we are offered for that investment”.
Matua-Ōtūmoetui ward councillor Glen Crowther said he’s been “struggling to get his head around” the decision to sell the precinct.
“We were all shocked to see this deal has been done… We have to listen to our communities. I hope we learn from this,” he said.
All councillors agreed to further investigate the sale of the Marine Precinct at the conclusion of the meeting.
At the time of the announcement, Commission Chair Anne Tolley said the Marine Precinct was non-core business for the council,
“The sale of the Marine Precinct and development of the facility will bolster Tauranga’s marine industry, while bringing new business and opportunities to the city,” Tolley said.
“Over the coming years, this will see Marine Precinct activities focus more on very high value work, such as superyacht maintenance and refits, with some traditional activities such as berthage for our fishing fleet moving to new, purpose-built facilities tailored specifically for their needs.”
