Auckland Ports threatening to sue their owner

The Herald reports:

Ports of Auckland has hired top lawyer Mai Chen to help it in a row with the Auckland Council over measures to reclaim more of the Waitemata Harbour.

Ports chief executive Tony Gibson and Ms Chen met Mayor Len Brown in September to try to avoid starting legal action against their owner. Another meeting is set for today.

After councillors agreed in August to make further reclamation of the harbour a “non-complying” activity in the draft Unitary Plan, Ms Chen told the mayor’s office the move wasillegal.

She said it breached the Resource Management Act and the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, which sets out councils’ planning requirements for the efficient and safe operation of ports.

Ms Chen said the ports company would contest the legality of the resolution in a submission on the draft plan unless the council amended the resolution.

A CCO threatening to sue the Council that owns it, is not a good look. I’d be very nervous if I was a company director in that situation.