Consortium has not done their homework 

The Waterfront Stadium Consortium today presented to the Auckland Council Planning Committee on their proposal. They even brought in a three dimensional mock up to show the Committee and accompanying media. 

However, while the New Zealand Herald seems totally starstruck our Councillors got into action and drilled down into what the Stadium truly means for the City. 

I will get the video tomorrow of the Committee (once it has been edited from its raw live stream version) but I am going to give the opening round to my Ward Councillor Daniel Newman who wasted no time getting stuck in:

You and I might have crossed swords Councillor but today I absolutely commend you for your hard hitting questions.

I noticed the Consortium could not answer a single question by Councillors Newman, Bartley, Clow or Casey and instead waffled on incorrect hypotheticals. If the Consortium did even basic Geography homework they would realise:

1. Onehunga is now under Panuku control and is set to be redeveloped
2. Even if Onehunga was still under Port control no international shipping firm is going to send their large car carriers over the deadly Manukau Bar at the entrance of the Harbour
3. Northport can not take our car and dry bulk trade without major expansion to itself and upgrades of the North Auckland Line. I do not think Auckland Transport will appreciate freight trains coming down the congested Western and inner Southern Line as well post City Rail Link
4. Port of Tauranga is already congested with New Zealand’s export trade as it stands. It is a Prohibited Activity under the Tauranga City Council District Plan to extend Sulphur Point into Tauranga Harbour
5. Firth of Thames port, road and rail construction is set for $5 billion for the absolute basics let alone future expansion ($15b) and the absolute shit-fight in the Environment Court and Parliament on environmental grounds and Treaty of Waitangi grounds
6. As noted by NZIER the social impact of moving the car (and dry bulk) trade out of its current position would have a social impact (mainly against South Auckland where the logistic hubs are located) of $1b
7. Currently the Port gives $92m in dividends to the Council and generates over 3,500 direct and downstream jobs (again in South Auckland), a stadium is a loss maker that would need to be subsidised
8. Did I mention the South Auckland impact? Councillor Newman raised that point rather loudly today

I can see the Port becoming parkland in 30-50 years time as it transitions out as has happened in London and Sydney. But that is not an excuse to go trash the waterfront with a loss making view blocking stadium when Mt Smart (that sits on major transport links) is ripe for redevelopment!

I expect Public Input participants to do their homework next time and engage in actual Stakeholder Management with Key Stakeholders – aka THE PUBLIC!