First reading for ports transparency bill

With voting not reached, the Local Government (Council Controlled Organisations) Amendment Bill is expected to return before the House on October 17.

Ms Fenton says the ongoing dispute between Ports of Auckland and the Maritime Union of New Zealand emphasises the need for her Bill, which would open the country’s ports to the Official Information Act.

“It is a good illustration of how the port company has been able to hide behind a lack of information – people have sought to get that, but found it impossible,” says Ms Fenton.

“Every port in New Zealand is either wholly or partially publicly-owned, but the public has no right to request official information about how they run. Yet millions of dollars of public money are tied up in those ports.”

Ms Fenton is expecting voting on the Bill to be close.