This is a red-letter day for Northland!

We started communicating our Vision for Growth way back in 2017. We launched a comprehensive website designed to show what expansion might look like (sideways, not out into the harbour), thereby also sucking the oxygen out of claims by some that expansion at Northport was physically impossible.

Importantly, we said at that point that we wanted to bring the community with us on the journey to expansion. The website and the years of consultation and engagement that followed were true to that commitment.

The nett result of this slow but steady programme of information, communication and engagement was significant community support for the port expansion. At the close of the public consultation process, three-quarters of the 228 submissions were in favour of our plan for expansion.

Our sincere thanks and acknowledgement to the many communities of Whangārei-te-rerenga-parāoa, for the positive, constructive way in which they have all embraced discussion about the future role of Northland’s port.

Our thanks, too, go to the small but highly professional team of planners, lawyers and communicators who worked with us to steer this project through to today's conclusion.

Other support came from a multitude of directions. The risk of acknowledging specific organisations and individuals is that one is bound to leave someone off the list. But it would be wrong not to mention the leaders and elected members of the four local government entities across our region, our political representatives in Parliament over the course of many years and many different Parliaments, business and community leaders from all around Northland, our regional economic development agency Northland Inc, NorthChamber, regional development experts such as Dr David Wilson, and Northport’s former Chair Murray Jagger.

We must also acknowledge those members of our small crew who stepped up to absorb extra roles and responsibilities while others were focusing on doing what needed to be done to get today’s result.  

And, finally, the members of Northport’s successive Boards – all of whom have supported our Vision for Growth through thick and thin.

Thank you one, thank you all! It’s been a while in the making. But today’s a great day for our region.