Fate of Whenuapai air base still up in the air

Plans to convert the Whenuapai air base into a second international airport for Auckland will hang in the balance when Cabinet meets tomorrow.

A Cabinet committee agreed last week that Whenuapai's commercial value as an airport would outweigh any strategic significance it held as a national asset.

But ministers remain divided on the next step: agreeing to sell the airforce base to Waikatere City Council, which could in turn contract the Defence Force and Wellington Airport-owner Infratil to manage it.

The solution would allow the airforce to continue using the airfield for the indefinite future, while at the same time allowing Infratil to operate a national and international airport.

Supporters say it would relieve pressure on Auckland's existing international airport at Mangere, and, in particular, on the congested road links leading from the city.

But sources say Finance Minister Michael Cullen is wary of being seen in election year to sell off national assets - even if they are being sold to the local authority.

Ironically, with local MP John Tamihere gone from Cabinet, the airport's biggest champion is Progressives leader Jim Anderton, who left Labour in protest at the privatisation of public assets.

Cabinet's choices are to either immediately commission a detailed proposal of how the airport sale proposal would work, or to put it in the "too-hard" basket till after the election.

- THE HERALD ON SUNDAY