Rock The Vote NZ Party - Submission to the Inquiry into Ports and the Maritime Sector

Submitted on the 13^th of July 2025

Daymond Goulder-Horobin, Deputy Leader of Rock The Vote NZ Party

Summary

Rock The Vote NZ Party welcomes this opportunity to assist the Transport and Infrastructure Committee’s inquiry into the performance, governance and economic contribution of New Zealand’s ports.  Our comments focus on the Terms of Reference sections 1 and 3, which are the economic contribution and efficiency, and the component of regulation, governance, and ownership. We have chosen to focus on these as our policy team has a strong background in these areas.

We approach the inquiry from a first-principles perspective that values individual freedom, our national sovereignty and transparent, accountable government agencies.  We always strive to question existing analogies and notions in our analysis, one of which is the idea that publicly owned assets are never as efficient as the private sector.  We believe that with the right people and policy, our publicly owned assets can be as, if not more, efficient than the private sector.  We must break this notion that we ought not to expect much from Government agencies; they can be made efficient.  Dare we say a Department of Government Efficiency be not out of the question.

While we believe and advocate for a free, open market for most industries, natural monopolies like the ports ought to stay in the hands of the public sector. 

Rock The Vote NZ Party policy guide

Given the physical and operational nature of the ports and maritime industry, Rock The Vote NZ believes it is important to briefly outline the philosophical lens through which we analyse and develop policy.

We advocate for a first principles approach which is a method of thinking rooted in breaking down complex issues into their most basic components, similar to how one might approach a problem in physics: through cause and effect. By focusing on the fundamentals and stripping away assumptions, stakeholders can identify more effective and efficient solutions with greater speed and clarity.

This way of thinking encourages simplification, cutting through unnecessary complexity to get to the heart of an issue. We urge all industry stakeholders to consider adopting this mindset in their strategic and operational decisions.

Furthermore, we believe this analytical framework is most effective when balanced with empathy. Understanding not just what people want, but what they truly need, leads to better long-term outcomes. Meeting short-term desires can be expedient but meeting long-term needs builds resilience and sustainability.

We include this section to provide context for how we have approached the recommendations and insights presented throughout this submission.

Guiding Principles

Rock The Vote NZ believes that all council-controlled assets should be focused on making a profit (within reason), with an ambitious target that rates are less relied upon and the assertion that “rates rises are inevitable” ultimately be dispelled.  We support the inquiry’s focus on lifting port productivity and financial performance as a national economic priority, and from our analysis, we have identified key considerations for the inquiry to follow when going through its analysis as follows:

1.        A culture of greatness in public ownership – Rock The Vote NZ believes that all State-Owned Enterprises can be as efficient as the private sector, given the right tools and policies.  Clear commercial targets, independent boards, and transparent reporting create the same performance pressure that private shareholders apply.  This can be applied to places such as The Ports of Auckland, which is 100% council owned.

2.        User-pays with transparent pricing – Port charges should accurately reflect demand, service level and the true cost of doing business.  While we advocate for councils to resist the temptation to raise rates at the first opportunity, we believe state-owned enterprises should be at market rates.  Also, further consider customer feedback where appropriate.

3.        Technology adaptability – Prompt adoption of automation, including the latest AI decision-making support and engines, will save on the costs of processing data and improving the communication lines between internal and external stakeholders.  Don’t seek to replace workers in these companies but seek to amplify and improve their productivity.

4.        Whole-of-system coordination – The ports should work together with trucks, trains, and ships to make moving goods cheaper overall, even if it means each port makes less money individually.

Conclusion

We hope our concise submission will elevate the level of the select committee to analyse the inquiry.  The select committee, in our view, has a meaningful opportunity to build on the port infrastructure, not just as companies to turn a profit, but as strategic public assets that serve both national prosperity and democratic accountability.

Rock The Vote NZ encourages the Committee to adopt a principled framework in its recommendations, which is one that:

• Affirms public ownership of natural monopolies, resisting pressures to privatise assets critical to national sovereignty.

• Promotes operational excellence through transparent governance, measurable performance targets, and technological adaptation.

• Advocates for the financial independence of port authorities from local ratepayers by treating ports as enterprises with commercial discipline.

• Insists on system-wide efficiency, ensuring ports are evaluated not solely in isolation but as part of an integrated supply chain that spans land, sea, and air transport; and

• Maintains long-term environmental and economic resilience, without submitting to ideological agendas disconnected from cost-benefit realities.