Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has announced his idea of leasing out Port operations for 35 years is now off the table.

A new agreement with unions and the Port will instead see the land, assets and operations retained by the Council.

Mayor Brown says the Auckland ratepayers can't keep on subsidising Port operations.

"I think it's worth keeping the Port. Because at the moment, the ratepayers are subsidising the importers and that can't go on."

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