Kia Kaha Northland is a campaign for Northlanders to “Back the Big Five” and give their support to five major projects that will connect Northland to Auckland and the world, and transform the regional and national economies.
Launched by the Mayors of the Far North, Whangarei and Kaipara District Councils, Kia Kaha is calling for Northlanders and others to make it clear to government decision-makers that supporting these initiatives is money well spent.
The ‘Big Five’ are:
- A $240 million dry dock to enable ships from New Zealand and Australia to be serviced and repaired in Whangarei
- A new base for the Royal New Zealand Navy to replace the current base at Auckland’s Devonport
- An expanded Northport to take cars and containers currently entering New Zealand through the port in the Auckland CBD, and for exports from Northland and elsewhere
- The completion of a four-lane expressway from Whangarei to Auckland, including a four-lane highway to Port Marsden
- Fast-tracking of a double-tracked rail line from West Auckland to Whangarei, including the planned spur to Port Marsden.
In Darrell’s view, “Northland is an ideal place for development. The Bream Bay/Marsden Point area has close to 700 hectares of commercial/industrial zoned land. Currently, most of it is greenfield and completely undeveloped, making it a great location for regional growth activities. Any development will use modern planning and environmental practices to ensure any environmental concerns are managed and mitigated, and there is a clear separation between commercial/industrial activities and residential spaces.”
“With careful planning over time, the result will be world-class freight handling, ship service/refitting, naval operations, and expanded Port operations; freeing up Auckland waterfront for development. It’s a win-win for both regions.”
High-level decisions on the five projects will be made over the next few months.
Images sourced from the Kia Kaha facebook page
