Tauranga boss Mark Cairns talks candidly to Dave MacIntyre about why he believes there is a pressing need for an overhaul in New Zealand port ownership.

Is local body ownership hindering the natural development of a ports hierarchy in New Zealand?

All ports in New Zealand are majority-owned by regional councils or local bodies, with seven wholly-owned by such councils. Objectives for a number of ports are often openly of a non-commercial nature, where ports are seen more as facilitators of regional economic development and fulfilling social objectives such as increasing local employment.