The Finance Minister says there won't be a quick and cheap answer to the question of Auckland port's future.

Sir John Key and Helen Clark have joined a government working group in calling for port operations to be relocated to Whangarei.

But former minister Steven Joyce says that would unfeasible, given available infrastructure.

Grant Robertson told Mike Hosking the Government won't be rushing into any decision.

“This won’t be a cheap endeavour but you have to look at a long term view and find the best place in the upper North Island to compliment the Port of Tauranga, which already does a huge turnover,”

Robertson says the port won't remain competitive as a deep sea port, in its current form.

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW ABOVE

• John Key, Helen Clark join forces to shift the port