Should Auckland Airport be sold?

[canarlee]

it would be a statement

well before we went off the original tangent, i was thinking more along the lines of capital goods, ie; people...

[McJim]

Will planes still fly in and out?

Will it abolish the stupid departure tax that prevents me from leaving the country on principal?

Does it actually make a difference?

Scotland got sold to the arabs in the 70's - didn't stop us bombing their arses in 2 gulf wars though

[Ghost_Bullet]

I do not know of the pro's if it is sold, but instant feeling is that this is a valuable earning asset, that should be retained. A massive bank of land in it's surrounds.

Keep the thing I say.

[scracha]

Will planes still fly in and out?
Will it abolish the stupid departure tax that prevents me from leaving the country on principal?

It's a joke eh! Not enough to actually bring in useful income. Just enough to fuck people off and possibly put off some tourists from returning.

Does it actually make a difference?

For once Tom's talking sense.

The rest of the country seems to be owned and run by foreigners so it makes sense the airport being owned by non-kiwi's. What they should really do is flog the airport, then use the money to start building another airport with radical (for New Zealand) features like public transport links. Then make the aviation or environmental rules really difficult for the original airport so that it can be purchased back for a fraction of the original cost. Be a bit like Vladimir Putin forcing BP to get the hell out of Russian oilfields after investing a $hitload of money.

Actually, fuckit. Just blow-up the beehive and the country will run much more efficiently.

[Dave Lobster]

If Queen Helen thinks it's a good idea, it can't be.

[oldrider]

It's floated on the stock market, it's just a normal business deal, got nothing to do with the government or you and me, unless you are a shareholder!

Ownership means nothing, it is the service provided that counts, then you have the option of using it or not, just business!

How many businesses etc overseas are owned by New Zealanders?

As long as the taxpayer doesnt have to prop it up, like Air New Zealand, the railways and Kiwibank and all the other taxpayer burdened business units that we should be getting tax "from" not having to pay to subsidise them.

Just let it go, the government will still be getting the tax rake off that it gets now, plus all the other benefits the Dubai connection brings with it. SELL John.

[Jimbob46]

Yeh I don't think it should be sold. Auckland Airport is owned by NZ shareholders isn't it? It is making a good profit at the moment and has been for a number of years. Therefore the amount of money in dividends being paid out is largely staying in NZ, this wouldn't be the case if it was taken over by a foreign investor. It makes no sense at all especially with how the economy is going at the moment where NZ should be aiming to curb spending. 3 billion dollars will just place added pressure on inflation and the result will most likely be rising interest rates again.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Toaster]

Profits go off shore as dividends to foreign owners. I'd rather see ownership of a strategic asset stay in NZ and reinvestment of profits in NZ. The airport is a very profitable entity.

But hey, its on the sharemarket so is already exposed to offshore investment anyway.

[Hitcher]

If it's sold it can't be taken away. And the decision to sell or not to sell is one that the airport's owners/shareholders have to make (as it is a listed company), not the general public of New Zealand.

[MisterD]

If it's sold it can't be taken away. And the decision to sell or not to sell is one that the airport's owners/shareholders have to make (as it is a listed company), not the general public of New Zealand.

About 20-25% of shares are owned by the Auckland and Manukau councils...which makes a fair proportion of the population effective shareholders.

[Skyryder]

I'm generaly against anything that promotes foreign control over NZ assets. It's not about whether a company can or can not take away the land. To me it's in whose interests does the company serve. This is my fundamental difficulty with offshore corperates controlling NZ assets. We saw this happen with NZ Rail to the extent that the track was in such bad shape that the Govt had to buy it back. Now I'm not saying that Dubai is going to run down the Auckland airport, far from it, but as owners of the airport they will be able to regulate air companies for landing rights at the expense of Air NZ and I believe that the Govt has a controlling interest of 51% in Air New Zealand. I have yet to see where market forces have benifited New Zealand and I doubt very much if this proposal is going to be any different.

Skyryder

[sinned]

It's floated on the stock market, it's just a normal business deal, got nothing to do with the government or you and me, unless you are a shareholder!

Ownership means nothing, it is the service provided that counts, then you have the option of using it or not, just business!

How many businesses etc overseas are owned by New Zealanders?

As long as the taxpayer doesnt have to prop it up, like Air New Zealand, the railways and Kiwibank and all the other taxpayer burdened business units that we should be getting tax "from" not having to pay to subsidise them.

Just let it go, the government will still be getting the tax rake off that it gets now, plus all the other benefits the Dubai connection brings with it. SELL John.

Full marks for this one

If it's sold it can't be taken away. And the decision to sell or not to sell is one that the airport's owners/shareholders have to make (as it is a listed company), not the general public of New Zealand.

Nice explanation Hitcher.

We leave in a sort of free country, sort of democracy although less now since liarbor have been in control. Free people own the bit of dirt and they have the right to do whatever they want with it. If the general public don't like that the government could buy it for them.

[Grahameeboy]

It's floated on the stock market, it's just a normal business deal, got nothing to do with the government or you and me, unless you are a shareholder!

Ownership means nothing, it is the service provided that counts, then you have the option of using it or not, just business!

How many businesses etc overseas are owned by New Zealanders?

As long as the taxpayer doesnt have to prop it up, like Air New Zealand, the railways and Kiwibank and all the other taxpayer burdened business units that we should be getting tax "from" not having to pay to subsidise them.

Just let it go, the government will still be getting the tax rake off that it gets now, plus all the other benefits the Dubai connection brings with it. SELL John.

Said it in one, okay for Kiwi's to own overseas business so what is wrong with the Airport being owned by an overseas investor......I thought NZ needed overseas investors? Seems a good start to get interest in NZ.

The Councils were never going to be in it for ever...it was an investment.

They can still remain investors. What is the issue.

The overseas buyer is surely interested in keeping the airport profitable so they also have a vestive interest.

The other month there were complaints that business were looking overseas for production.....now we have someone interested in investing in NZ, yes investing in NZ and that is bad??

NZ.....get over yourselves..........we have to get wid de times dudes

[swbarnett]

Auckland Airport is a cash cow for the country. A fair bit is owned by local councils. Let's keep it for the long term revenue, not sell it for a few quick bucks. I also don't like the fact that Emerates would get preferential treatment.

[canarlee]

you will probably find that it is not up for sale per se, more likely that it is up for lease without right of re-newal! and the lease will run out after say 49 or 99 years. for example



hong kong is a damn good example, although on a rather different scale!