COMMENTARY: By Saige England
Last night I attended a packed meeting in Lyttleton against the takeover attempt by DP World of the Lyttleton Port. This is a local, regional, national, and international issue.
The meeting was organised by New Zealanders for A Democratic Economy. It was chaired by John Minto, a long time campaigner for human rights.
Think evil predator company with a track record in taking over international ports — sackings, enviro hazards and links to Epstein… and you have DP World in a nutshell.
- READ MORE: Dubai-based DP World replaces chief named in Epstein files
- Top Canadian pension fund halts deals with UAE firm over Epstein ties
- Other DP World reports
I have researched the history of DP World and it is corrupt — good at keeping the corruption out of sight — but that’s the way with these tax-evading companies.
Who pays for their profits? The people, the taxpayers through rate-hikes and workers, through redundancies. DP World loves replacing people with AI.
Predator companies like this start on the port and move into other areas because ports are a gateway to transport and other industries.
This is a local, regional, national and international issue about power and control.
It is about power being taken out of the hands of people and placed in the hands of predator companies.
Workers made redundant
Last night heard from workers who have been made redundant water side. Men who cared about community.
We heard from Gerard Loader, secretary at the Lyttelton Branch of the Maritime Union of New Zealand and who is also the national vice-president of the union.
Loader presented as a union official, and also as a boy who grew up, married, had children and works in Lyttleton. He recalled the days when Lyttelton was a hive of activity, a harbour full of ships, trucks, trains, seafarers and “wharfies”.
He gave relevant background to the development of the takeover.
In 2023, the Lyttleton Port Company (LPC) appointed a new CEO in Graeme Sumner and chair of the board in Barry Bragg.
“Not long after that we started hearing rumours of plans to privatise city assets, with DP world being mentioned more than once,” said Loader.
“So with the support of the greater community we lobbied council and demonstrated at the CCHL AGM achieving our goal of keeping our assets in public control, albeit with a lot of contorted right-leaning faces looking on in disappointment.”
Battle won, but war continues
That battle was won, but the war is far from over, he said.
“Since early 2024 we have been challenging or asking all LPC management, board members, councillors etc about the persistent rumours of DP World wanting to lease the port operations as a way to get around the mandate of keeping the port in public ownership, and to a man they have all denied or deflected the issue saying they know nothing or it is out of their hands, or we cannot interupt the process as we have to follow due diligence etcetera.
“Then to hear the announcement in June of Tonui (3 runanga and DP World) putting in an unsolicited bid to CCHL for the leasing out of port operations for a 30-year contract was a slap in the face to not only the employees at LPC but the people and ratepayers of Christchurch who have basically been lied to for the last two years by everyone, as DP World and Tonui have been negotiating behind closed doors on this, and in the words of LPC CEO Graeme Sumner, the worst kept secret in Canterbury.”
Barry Bragg is chair of LPC board, was on the Ngāi Tahu Property board for seven years, and is the deputy chair of Stevensons Limited who specialise in concrete and construction.”
“When asked directly to his face at the City Council meeting on the June 3 that he knew nothing about it raises more questions on the competence and truthfulness of our city leaders than it answers,” said Loader.
Whether the powers that be had full knowledge, or they truly knew nothing while a deal of this magnitude was being discussed, as a ratepayer was “deeply concerning”, Loader said.
“Whose interests do they have at heart?”
End of people’s control
He added that if this “deal” proceeds it would be the end of the port being controlled by the people in the interests of Christchurch city and all profits going back to the Canterbury region.
Rather, the port would be controlled by a huge foreign monopoly which would only have their profit margin at the heart of the operation.
His words were sobering. There is no illusion that control has already slipped and deals are being made behind the scenes.
That is typical of Dubai-based DP World.
The broligarchy is alive and kicking and it does not care about the Tangata or the Whenua or the Moana.
We heard from Australian-based researcher Edward Miller, who has investigated DP World’s control of Australian ports.
This company evades tax and so rates rise. Rise and rise. The burden on tax payers is massive because the company is all about profit and not about sharing or caring for community.
The port is the first point of take over and not the last.
Need to stop this
We need to stop this. We need to stop this asset sale and others.
We need to make ensure our community is heard and heeded, and not made redundant.
Councils and the Government works for us. It is not the other way around.
We heard from poet, Gary McCormick who said we, the people, have power. We have the power to stop this. We are the voice.
We heard from Māori women who talked about the generations to come. We heard form Māori women who talked about the terrible effect this would have on the environment. A greedy parasite controlling the port.
We heard from Sara Campbell who spoke eloquently and passionately about the toll this will take on our environment.
“We’re living in a rapidly warming world. The last 11 years have been the hottest on record.
“Aotearoa now has the highest proportion of threatened species in the world.
“And right here in Whakaraupō, the ecology is under immense pressure. This harbour is home to our nationally vulnerable Hector’s dolphins.”
And yet:
“I truly believe we can stop DP World,” she said.
And the crowd cheered.
“And I believe we can change how the port is run. To a model where we’re actually at the table. Where mana whenua and the unions are strategic partners in decision making.”
No media present
As for me, I will try to publish articles in the media on this but the news media was not there. The newspapers were not present. Radio was not present.
Once the port mattered to media. Now, where is it?
We need to notice this. We need to draw attention to it, we need to join the protest against it. Or it will be too late. And what then?
As Gerard Loader said: “When my grandson asks what I did to stop it, I want to be able to tell him I did everything I could.”
Community for community. Rise people, rise.
Saige England is a humanitarian journalist and activist for community and the environment. She was present in support of community action. She is also a contributor to Asia Pacific Report.
- Sign the petition Keep Our Port Public to show there is no public mandate for privatisation
- More information on Our Port Public website
