The Press reports that foreign investors seeking a major stake in key South Island assets such as port companies and airports are likely to be blocked under new rules to protect strategically important infrastructure.

The Government moved late on Monday to effectively block the sale of Auckland International Airport to the Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) by instituting a new national interest clause in legislation governing foreign ownership of major assets on sensitive land. (more…)

The Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA) congratulates the Government for its moves this week to prevent strategic assets on sensitive land from being sold into foreign ownership. Our only question is – what took you so long? It’s been glaringly obvious for many months that the NZ public is up in arms at the prospect of Auckland Airport being sold overseas, be it to Dubai or Canada. And we expect to see these new overseas investment criteria used to block any renewed attempt by the Christchurch City Council via its holding company to sell the Lyttelton Port Company overseas. (more…)

The Keep Our Port Public (KOPP) coalition notes with alarm the fact that Christchurch City Holdings Ltd (CCHL), holding company for the Christchurch City Council’s trading assets, has been quietly buying up shares in the Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) and has passed the significant mark of 75% ownership. (more…)

You can now send an automatic email message to Port of Napier CEO Garth Cowie to tell him that you think his company has a responsibility to ensure secure local jobs at the Port of Napier.

International trade union website Labour Start are promoting this email campaign at their website - send a message here!

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10469847

Lyttelton Port is 75 per cent owned by Christchurch City Council.

Port Otago - which holds a 15 per cent stake, worth almost $40 million, in listed rival Lyttelton Port - is tipped to lead changes which could see a merger between the South Island operators.

Port Otago chairman John Gilks has rejected reports this week there had been working committee talks between the ports. (more…)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4231604a23399.html

Hong Kong giant Hutchison Whampoa made an approach to buy a stake in the Ports of Auckland after its failure to shore up a deal with Lyttelton Port, inside sources say.
Hutchison, the vehicle of magnate Li Ka-shing, has port operations in every continent except Australasia. It is one of the world’s largest privately-owned operators of container terminals with a network of 45 ports.
Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) approached the Ports of Auckland after its thwarted attempt to take a 50.1% stake in Lyttelton Port last year, a move which sparked talk of consolidation in the sector. (more…)

Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) shares have closed at a record high amidst renewed interest in the port sector and speculation of ports merging.

LPC shares yesterday closed 8c higher at 248c, a new peak in their 12-month range which saw them as low as 190c. Shares in South Port, based in Bluff, closed 10c higher at 250c, equalling this month’s record peak.

Port of Tauranga rose 14c to 699c, just off the top of its 12-month peak of 700c.

Read full story here.

by Murray Horton

Watchdog 112 (August 2006) ran a very detailed cover story on the successful campaign to stop the Christchurch City Council from selling off the Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) to Hutchison Port Holdings of Hong Kong – “Lyttelton Port Company Sale Dead In The Water: We’ve Won The Battle, But Not Yet The War To Keep Our Port Public”, by Murray Horton, which can be read online at http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/12/01.htm (more…)

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By Otago Daily Times Business Reporter Simon Hartley

A merger proposal between arch-rivals Port Otago and listed Lyttelton Port, of Christchurch, is likely to be on the table this year, with the Dunedin company keen for talks to begin in coming months. (more…)