The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is calling out a deliberately misleading poll commissioned by It's Our Auckland that claims Aucklanders are not in support of the proposed lease of Port of Auckland operations in the mayor's Long Term Plan (LTP).

Voters were asked: "There is a proposal to sell off the Auckland Port operating business which is currently 100% owned by Auckland Council and Aucklanders, via a lease. How strongly do you support or oppose the sale of the port operations?"

Commenting on these claims, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Sam Warren, said:

"The phrasing of the poll is deliberately misleading – angled to elicit a certain response."

"The mayor specifically wants to lease operations of the Port while ratepayers retain the land throughout. When the lease expires after a proposed 35-years, operations would be returned, or negotiated for extension by both parties. There is no 'sale', and it's expected that Aucklanders would get much a better deal."

"It seems pretty disingenuous to ask about the sale of the port's operations, and then go on to claim Aucklanders don't want it to be leased."

A recent Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance – Curia Poll showed 60% of Aucklanders are in favour of leasing Port operations when asked: "Auckland’s Mayor has said that leasing out the management of the port, while still retaining ownership of the port land, will deliver much higher financial returns to the Council. If Council could deliver a much higher return, would you support the port management being leased out, or would you prefer it to continue with the status quo and lower financial returns but keep full ownership?". 26% opposed the port operation's lease.

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