Former All Black Bill Osborne, of Te Ātihaunui-a-Papārangi descent, is stepping down as chairman of Ports of Auckland after only six months in what he says is “in the best interests of the company”.
"When I stepped into this role at the start of the year, the company was going through a difficult time. It has been a privilege for me to work with the board and team at Ports of Auckland to get things back on track," he said in a statement.
Osborne will retire at the end of September.
The announcement comes soon after former port chief executive Tony Gibson was charged under the Health and Safety Act over the death of a stevedore last year.
Osborne supported Gibson even after a damning health and safety review in February led to calls from unions and Māori leaders for both men to resign.
Auckland mayor Phil Goff thanked Osborne for leading the board through a challenging period for the company, which has included the Covid-19 crisis and its effects on the shipping industry.
"He has also played a key role in supporting the implementation of the recommendations of the independent Health and Safety Review, which is underway now and will ensure the port is a safe place for its employees. I wish him all the best for the future."
A professional director and president of NZ Rugby, Osbourne has committed much time to Māori development over the years. He has served on the Māori Economic Development Commission and was responsible for establishing Te Huarahi Tika Trust, a pan-Māori trust handling Māori interests in the radio spectrum. He also chaired Hautaki Ltd, the commercial arm of the trust.
Between 1975 and 1982, he played 48 matches with the All Blacks including 16 internationals.