Peter Busfield NZ Marine Industry Association Executive Director wants Wharf extensions in Auckland in time to host the next America's Cup.
New Zealand won't be able to host the America's Cup if it doesn't carry out contentious expansions into the Waitemata Harbour, a marine industry leader says.
The NZ Marine Industry Association yesterday sent Auckland Council and the Government its wish-list for the America's Cup, which includes creating a superyacht haulout facility, extending Halsey St Wharf and creating additional wavebreaks around Wynyard Wharf.
Association executive director Peter Busfield said it was a necessity for such developments in order for Auckland to remain a viable host for the coveted event.
Any further incursions into the Waitemata Harbour have been vehemently opposition by factions of the Auckland public, with advocacy group Stop Stealing Our Harbour gaining a good deal of traction.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has also previously expressed her opposition to wharf expansions, with a senior political source recently telling the Weekend Herald any extension to the Halsey St Wharf "has to be dead".
"That [view] would have to change otherwise we will not be hosting the America's Cup in New Zealand ... and we'd better book our flights to Italy," Busfield said.
"If we don't [build extensions] we won't convince Luna Rossa and Team New Zealand that we've got the infrastructure to stage an international event that will be attractive to syndicates and their sponsors," he said, adding that New Zealand was already at a disadvantage by being in the wrong time zone for the majority of the Cup's television audience.
Graphic / NZ Herald, NZ Marine Industry Association
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has also expressed his desire to avoid any further expansion into the harbour. However, Busfield said Goff had become more "sympathetic" to the idea since meeting with interested parties.
"My indications are that after his discussions with Team New Zealand and others ... Mayor Goff is now in favour of doing some extensions of wharves [Hobson, Wynyard and Halsey St] over the harbour because I think he can see the necessity of it if he wants to put on an event of such international profile.
"Also, he's got to get Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa to be confident that [Auckland is] set up for an international event rather than taking it to Italy."
A spokesman for Goff said the mayor accepted that "to deliver the America's Cup there may need to be some expansion into the harbour".
Hosting the America's Cup would be a huge boon to the country's marine industry, with the association estimating it would attract 160 superyachts, each spending some $2.7 million. It also forecast an additional 200 boat building and related apprenticeships would be created in the lead up to 2021.
Busfield said the marine industry was prepared to play its part in paying for the developments so long as it was able to recoup returns from its investments.
For example, association member Orams Marine had made an offer to Auckland Council to spend "tens of millions of dollars" to develop the superyacht haulout facility on Beaumont St, just south of Wynyard Quarter, plus additional superyacht berths.
However, this area, "site 18", had been touted as an option for syndicate bases which would nullify the offer.
"We think that would be very short-sighted ... because it would mean we'd lose legacy infrastructure that would enable us to service superyachts even if we lose the America's Cup," Busfield said.
NZ Marine Industry Association chief executive Peter Busfield says New Zealand won't be able to host the America's Cup if it doesn't build extensions into the Waitemata Harbour. Photo / File
The association also proposed creating new commercial and fishing boat berths and an area for berthing and working on large superyachts.
The association was aligned with Team New Zealand in its preference to base America's Cup yachting syndicates on Halsey St wharf.
However, Busfield said spreading bases across Halsey, Wynyard and Hobson wharves - as has been widely floated as an option - could still fit in with the association's plans.
Auckland councillors are expected to meet tomorrow to decide on their preferred location for the Cup base.
Busfield encouraged the council and Government to consult with marine industry players to see what investments they were prepared to make towards the Cup.
Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesman Michael Goldwater said Busfield's offer of contributions amounted to "investments that have nothing to do with the extension of the harbour".
"The Orams can build whatever they want to build while the public still has to pay $200m to extend the harbour," he said. "These arguments are verging on irrational - they're not connecting the dots."
Goldwater, a boatie who "100 per cent" supported the America's Cup and the marine industry, said Busfield was getting the argument confused.
"They see it in black and white: it's either we have the extensions or we don't have the Cup. The way we see it, we want the public to pay as little as possible, which will be achieved by using existing infrastructure," he said.
"Let's use land that we've already got - there's land down on Auckland's most prime real estate that is being used as junk yards, car parks, vacant lots and gravel yards."
Busfield's statement that it was necessary to either lose chunks of Auckland's harbour or lose the Cup hosting rights was "very self-serving".
Until the industry fronted up with the money, "they don't have a leg to stand on".
