Labour MP joins port campaigners

Urban Auckland says it is primed for a "very Auckland waterfront drama" when it goes to court tomorrow to challenge the two wharf extensions.

Labour MP and possible mayoral contender Phil Goff has joined prominent Aucklanders in a second open letter calling on Ports of Auckland and Auckland Council to stop port expansion.

Lady Pippa Blake, Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry, musician Neil Finn and businessmen Sir Stephen Tindall and Rob Fyfe are among those to sign both letters ahead of a court challenge this week.

The latest letter, published on page 2 of today's Herald, accuses the council and port company of collaborating to "sneak through a resource consent just before Christmas to extend Bledisloe Wharf nearly 100m into Waitemata Harbour" as a beachhead to fill in more of the harbour to park cars and stack containers.

Urban Auckland - the society for the protection of the city and waterfront - says it is primed for a "very Auckland waterfront drama" when it goes to court tomorrow to challenge the lawfulness of two wharf extensions.

Urban Auckland chairwoman Julie Stout said the society of architects and planning professionals had finalised its case and was looking forward to the "detailed chronology and sorry history being given a very public airing".

Last night, Mr Goff said he was asked by the Stop Stealing Our Harbour protest group to join the campaign, which was consistent with his opposition against extension of the wharf and further reclamation.

Mr Goff said the extensions should not proceed until a port future study was done.

"Otherwise you are forever condemned to making ad hoc changes and little by little the recreational value of the harbour is diminished by further extensions. This is an erosion of our harbour for a reason that hasn't been adequately justified."

The MP for Mt Roskill said he was speaking as Labour's spokesman on Auckland issues and any decision on standing for the mayoralty was some time off, probably early next year.

He said he had spoken with Labour leader Andrew Little about the mayoralty and had the support of party colleagues if he decided to stand.

Mr Goff is on a different side of the port issue from Mayor Len Brown, who is also a member of the Labour Party.

Mr Brown has argued the council was powerless to stop the wharf extensions and on April 30 used his casting vote to reach a compromise.

The compromise followed a port company offer to stop extending the western end of Bledisloe Wharf by 92m into the harbour, pending the completion of the port future study next year. Work on the eastern extension has already begun.