The High Court stopped the sale at the eleventh hour. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The proposed sale of the marine precinct took another turn last week when Tauranga City Council was served with judicial review proceedings and the High Court granted an interim injunction to prevent the sale from being completed.
RNZ has put together a timeline of the twists and turns involved with the sale.
2004: Tauranga council buys the marine precinct land. RNZ has asked the council what price it paid, however, we have been told an official information request will be needed to obtain that information.
2014: Council secured a $5 million grant from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Regional infrastructure Fund to develop the marine precinct into a facility to support the marine industry in Tauranga.
December 2020: Tauranga council is sacked by the government after internal dysfunction.
3 July 2023: Council obtained a valuation of the land, followed by a second valuation in December of that year. When including improvements to the land the midpoint valuation was $22.144 million.
August 2023: Council's chief executive Marty Grenfell met with developer Rupert Curry and discussed development opportunities in the city.
Christchurch developer Sam Rofe then made contact with council via Curry with a proposal to purchase the marine precinct. He had a vision for the marine precinct "to emerge as the premier superyacht refit destination, where luxury meets precision, and dreams are meticulously crafted into reality" (council was still under the management of commissioners).
The land was never advertised by the council as being for sale on the open market.
27 November 2023: In a closed-door meeting, the commissioners decided to progress negotiations to sell the marine precinct to Rofe.
27 March 2024: Council and Rofe signed a non-binding term sheet which set out the proposed commercial terms.
8 April 2024: In a closed-door meeting, the commissioners approved the key terms of sale. This included a sale price of $13m and a commitment by council to fund the cost of the development of an alongside wharf and a replacement of the existing Bridge Wharf.
After this meeting, the term sheet was formalised into interdependent agreements for sale and purchase for the marine precinct land and Vessel Works business.
Monday, 20 May 2024: In a closed-door meeting, the commissioners approved up to $29.2m for wharf redevelopment. In addition, council approved up to $7.8m to replace Fishermans Wharf.
Council's meeting agenda notes that there has been a reduction in the expected proceeds for the marine precinct from $33m to $13m.
20 July 2024: Tauranga city holds a local election, returning democratic power to councillors and the mayor.
23 October 2024: At an extraordinary meeting of the council several members of the public speak against the sale, including Mark Ngata, general manager of Moana New Zealand which operates at the port. Roger Rawlinson, who owns seven boats at the marine, jumped up and spoke outside of the public forum time, shutting down attempts by the mayor to remind him of meeting process. Video of this was spread widely online.
4 November 2024: Mayor Mahe Drysdale speaks out against abuse being suffered by council staff online, saying he was concerned it created an unreasonable situation for individual staff and the organisation.
12 November 2024: Tauranga-based ACT MP Cameron Luxton said he has written to the Auditor-General, raising concerns about the sale and requesting an investigation.
MP Sam Uffindell is among those concerned about the council's deal. Photo: screenshot / TVNZ 1 News
14 November 2024: Local MP Sam Uffindell said [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/534387/the-deal-sucks-mps-question-tauranga-marine-precinct-sale
he went to see the auditor general] and asked that the sale be investigated.
15 November 2024: Mayor Drysdale said he had written to the Office of the Auditor-General to express full support for any review or investigation.
19 November 2024: RNZ asked the auditor general if they were planning to review the sale. A spokesperson for the Office of the Auditor-General confirmed they had received correspondence asking them to look at investigating this issue and are considering the issues raised.
21 November 2024: The High Court granted an interim injunction to prevent the sale from being completed after Sean Kelly, managing director of Pacific7 (a company currently based at the precinct) filed an injunction.
25 November 2024: Tauranga council holds an emergency closed door meeting to discuss the judicial review. Drysdale said the council was seeking further legal advice and information before an informed decision was made.
A court date to hear the injunction is yet to be set.
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