Marsden Point Land-Origin Inquiry

This is an important issue Govt has been selling gifted land, which it cannot do.

 

Marsden Point Land-Origin Inquiry

OIA / Records Request, Facebook Post, and Short Video Script

Prepared for: Tracy / Tangatawhenua Records

Contact: [email protected] | CC: [email protected]

Context: MBIE response DOIA-REQ-0030828 dated 8 May 2026 states that Marsden Point refinery was privately owned and that shareholders voted for closure. This document reframes the issue from corporate ownership to land origin, title conversion, public-purpose use, and any reversion / offer-back obligations.

1. OIA / Records Request

Subject: OIA / Records Request — Marsden Point Refinery Land Origin, Title Conversion, Public Purpose, and Reversion / Offer-Back Issues

To: Land Information New Zealand / Toitu Te Whenua

CC: Archives New Zealand, MBIE, [email protected]

From: Tracy / Tangatawhenua Records

Date: [insert date]

Tena koe,

I request official information under the Official Information Act 1982 concerning the land on which the Marsden Point refinery was established, operated, converted, closed, or repurposed.

This request arises from MBIE response DOIA-REQ-0030828 dated 8 May 2026, which stated that the Marsden Point refinery was privately owned and that shareholders voted for closure. MBIE also stated there was “no direct statutory basis for government involvement” in refinery closure planning.

That answer does not address the underlying land-origin issue.

This request is not limited to the corporate ownership of Refining NZ, New Zealand Refining Company, Channel Infrastructure, or any successor company. It concerns the origin, legal status, acquisition basis, title conversion, public-purpose use, and any reversionary, offer-back, gifted land, trust, Maori land, Crown land, public works, or tangata whenua interests in the refinery land.

Information requested

1. Land identification records

Please provide all records identifying the land parcels on which the Marsden Point refinery was established or operated, including:

• current title references
• historical title references
• legal descriptions
• deposited plans
• survey plans
• Gazette references
• former block names
• current registered proprietors
• former registered proprietors

2. Original acquisition or occupation records

Please provide all records showing how the land was originally obtained, occupied, vested, transferred, leased, gifted, taken, or otherwise made available for refinery or related public/industrial use, including:

• Crown grants
• deeds
• leases
• peppercorn leases
• trust instruments
• Maori Land Court records or references
• Public Works Act notices
• proclamations
• Gazette notices
• Ministry of Works records
• Department of Lands and Survey records
• compensation records
• correspondence with original owners, successors, trustees, hapu, iwi, local authorities, or Crown agencies

3. Purpose of the land

Please provide all records identifying the purpose for which the land was obtained or made available, including whether it was for:

• refinery use
• fuel security
• national infrastructure
• public work
• industrial development
• harbour or port-related activity
• defence or strategic use
• any other public or Crown-supported purpose

4. Title conversion and registration

Please provide all records showing when and how the land became registered in the name of any private company, refinery entity, Crown entity, local authority, oil company, successor company, or other registered proprietor.

This includes records from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s concerning any conversion of:

• leasehold land into freehold title
• Crown land into private title
• public-purpose land into private title
• gifted land into registered private ownership
• Maori land or former Maori land into general land
• trust or purpose-limited land into saleable title

5. Closure, conversion, surplus land, reversion, and offer-back

Please provide any records assessing whether the closure, conversion, dismantling, or repurposing of the Marsden Point refinery triggered or required consideration of:

• offer-back obligations
• reversionary interests
• gifted land return obligations
• Public Works Act disposal obligations
• Treaty settlement obligations
• Maori land issues
• tangata whenua interests
• trust obligations
• public-purpose restrictions
• Cabinet approval
• Ministerial approval
• LINZ approval
• Crown Law advice
• local authority consent or involvement

6. Communications with other agencies or parties

Please provide communications, memoranda, briefings, reports, advice, or file notes involving any of the following:

• MBIE
• Treasury
• Crown Law
• Ministry of Works
• Department of Lands and Survey
• Ministry of Energy
• Ministry of Economic Development
• Whangarei District Council
• Northland Regional Council
• Refining NZ
• New Zealand Refining Company
• Channel Infrastructure
• oil companies
• local hapu / iwi entities
• former owners, successors, trustees, or representatives

7. Archived records

If some records are held by Archives New Zealand, please identify:

• the archive reference
• agency file number
• series number
• item title
• date range
• access status
• whether a fee applies to search, retrieve, digitise, or copy the record

If fees apply, please provide an estimate before incurring the fee.

Priority core records

If this request is considered broad, please prioritise the following core records first:

1. current and historical title references
2. Gazette notices
3. acquisition instruments
4. vesting instruments
5. Public Works Act notices
6. leases or deeds
7. title-conversion records
8. offer-back, reversion, surplus-land, or disposal assessments
9. any Crown Law, LINZ, MBIE, or Cabinet advice concerning the land status after refinery closure

Clarification

This request is not asking for general commentary about commercial shareholder ownership.

The issue is whether land originally obtained, gifted, leased, vested, taken, or enabled for a specific public or refinery purpose was later converted into private registered ownership capable of sale, closure, dismantling, or repurposing without return, offer-back, public-purpose review, or tangata whenua accountability.

Please provide the information electronically where possible.

If any part of this request is refused, please identify the specific ground relied upon under the Official Information Act, the category of documents affected, and whether the information exists but is being withheld, or whether no such information is held.

Naku noa, na

Tracy

Tangatawhenua Records

[email protected]

CC: [email protected]