“We’re disappointed that no buyer has been found for Northland Mill but there is still a window for central Government to step up and push for a solution.”
Juken’s Northland Mill in Kaitāia. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya
Jones, a New Zealand First minister, said the closure of the mill would impact the local Kaitāia community and forestry sector.
“It’s enormously disappointing that this foreign company has decided to make this decision and close down,” he said.
“They’ve been a feature of the Far North economy for a very long time, but they’ve never once reached out to me as the Regional Development Minister, seeking a rescue package or wanting to maintain the ongoing functioning of the business, with some sort of package from the Crown.”
Jones said there appeared to be “considerable confusion” between potential buyers and the parent company because he understood negotiations for the sale of the mill were ongoing.
One potential buyer could be Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, who says he is part of a group of people pondering the idea of buying both the Northland Mill and the larger Triboard Mill next door.
He told the Herald the situation was complex and he was unsure if the whole mill was closing or just a smaller part of it, but that he still believed the option to buy the mill was on the table.
Shane Jones (right), with Wayne Brown (left) and chair of the working group that in 2020 proposed moving Auckland port operations to Northland, with local businessman Barry Trass. Photo / Tania Whyte
Coverdale, who has been supporting several workers that could be affected by the closure, said there were a few potential options, such as following what a mill in Gisborne did where it closed down before being purchased a year later or by getting a “lifeline” from the Government.
“Not all hope is lost, and it’s now time to wait to see if this Government will offer the mill workers a lifeline or if we’re set to lose yet another important wood manufacturing facility.”
Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.