Ben McNulty: Wellington Councillor for Takapu/Northern Ward on sale of airport shares

Wellington Council’s decision to sell its 34% share in Wellington Airport may put rates up in the future. 

The highly contested decision to sell the shares has passed - and the proceeds will be invested in a perpetual fund. 

At least three councillors, who previously agreed to sell the shares, now say they've changed their minds - and the move to sell would fail if a vote happened today. 

Mayor Tory Whanau has been criticised from fellow left-leaning councillors for supporting the sale. 

Wellington Councillor for Takapu/Northern Ward, Ben McNulty, told Tim Beveridge “My progressive colleagues ran on a platform on opposing the privatisation of our assets.” 

McNulty said “Wellington is not a very diversified city compared to Auckland and Christchurch.” 

He said “We have rates, parking and the airport.” 

“The investment fund will not return anywhere close to the airport, because it has to be a green fund.” 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talk ZEDB. Follow
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Speaker 2 (00:16):
And Wellington City Council's controversial long term plan passed yesterday.
Attentions have been high over the decision to sell the
council's thirty four percent share in Wellington Airport, and Mayor
Torrifano has copt some criticism for supporting a sale that
she didn't campaign on. Councilors have gone back and forth,
but the plan was approved nine in favor, seven opposed,

(00:39):
and Wellington Councilor Ben McNulty opposed the sale and called
it called it a political obituary. He joins me now
being good.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
Morning, morny it' tim, thank you for having me.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Yeah, well you're disappointed. Why is that?

Speaker 3 (00:53):
Well, you know, in politics, right, you make your promises
and you try your hardest to keep them, and the
government learned that when it came to the cancer drugs
promise and the budget very recently. My Progressives colleagues ran
very much on a platform of opposing privatization our assets.
And if you're going to break your promise, you'd better
try your bands to do everything. Find any alternative to

(01:17):
doing that, and that hasn't occurred in this case.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
How important is the airport as a revenue stream because
I see they're putting the proceeds into a perpetual investment fund.

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Oh, it's hugely important. Wellington is not a very diversified
city compared to Auckland or christ Church from its holdings.
We have rates parking airport in terms of one, two, three,
and the airport's returns have been very, very good. The
investment fund will not return anywhere close to the airport
because it has to be a green fund, so it
can't invest in a bunch of industries. It needs more oversight,

(01:47):
more fees. It has to be in a less aggressive
risk profile because we might need to draw on it.
So we're essentially putting rates up in the future as
well by this decision.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
You're saying it was a rushed process. Are you going
to get the information that you should have had before
the next vote on this in December?

Speaker 3 (02:04):
I would hope so, But we have tried twice over
the last two days to catch that information. There's been
other information we've tried to get on this process, which
has involved viatervention of the local government Minister dragging our
officials over the colds because we weren't able to even
access legal advice that was there. So I would hope
we'll be able to get more information, but so far

(02:25):
in our efforts to do so, we've been pretty stonewalled.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
I think mer Torre Fanno has lost support over this.
She's got a pretty rocky marayalty anyway. Has this made
any difference to her reelection chances?

Speaker 3 (02:35):
Oh? Absolutely, And that's why I said that comment about
the political obituary is that the number I've been undated
with people that voted or supported campaigned for her. Did
the door knocking and all the whether Wellington could throw
at them, did the phone banking, And they're going this
is a betrayal. I can't believe that this. We put
our efforts behind this. I've had Green Party members say

(02:57):
Labor put up a candidate, Doll endorsal Dull campaign for
the Labor candidate. So that's the thing that I also
think has been lost in this is that a lot
of the councilors around the table have lost touch with
the base and the people that them there.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
What's the public vibe on this issue?

Speaker 3 (03:12):
Look, I can only after build politicians are a little
bit in a bubble. But I can sort of count
on one hand a humber of people to me that
have said, actually the airport sale that they agree with.
So I've had almost unanimous feedback that this is a
bad idea just quickly.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
I mean, you were talking about you guys being in
a bubble. The audio sort of clips that we hear
from time to time doesn't make doesn't make the council
look like you're really functioning at top speed. Looks pretty dysfunctional.
What's your take on it all?

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Look, we definitely are a unique council. I've had I've
had counselors friends from mine that are councilors at lower
hearts attend our meetings and go, yep, you guys take
a long time to go through things. I think we're
a political council. We're in Wellington, the beehives down the road,
the media access and scrutiny of our environment. You know,

(04:05):
there's sort of about five times more access to media.
So look at a sense decisions that maybe should be
more straightforward that most other councils tend to get a
little bit politicized, and that plays into it at the end,
of the day. The decisions always get made, the votes
always get through. The LTP has been passed regardless of
my opposition, so I think we just take a bit
longer to do things in our unique Wellington way.

Speaker 2 (04:26):
Good hey think thanks for your time, Ben, I really
appreciate it. That's victim, that's been McNaughty. He is Wellington
Council for Tuckapoo Northern Ward.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
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