The Government sold Paraparaumu Aerodrome in 1995. In May 2004, Parliament’s Transport and Industrial Relations Committee (the Select Committee) reported on a petition asking “that Parliament legislate to safeguard the long-term viability of Paraparaumu Airport as a full operational facility”. The Select Committee recommended, among other things, that “the Government hold an inquiry into the sale process”. On 19 October 2004, the Minister of Transport invited the Controller and Auditor-General to undertake the inquiry.
Our inquiry covered 2 phases by the Ministry of Transport in disposing of the aerodrome:
- consultation with Māori and former owners of aerodrome land; and
- the sale of the aerodrome by a restricted tender process.