MEDIA RELEASE
24 March 2009.
 

Council Upbeat at Minister’s Announcement.

There is at least one local council taking a positive view of this month’s announcement that the proposed regional fuel tax for Auckland is to be abandoned.

The Rodney District Council is remarkably unphased by Transport Minister Steven Joyce’s announcement, considering that the cost of one of its showcase roading projects, the Penlink second access to the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, was to be funded largely from the tax.

In fact, the council seems to be positively upbeat.

Rodney chief executive, Rodger Kerr-Newell says it (the announcement) can be looked at in a positive light. “I think what the minister has got here is a view that the opportunity exists with Penlink to attract some major international investment into Rodney.

“I think he’s also finding a great deal of merit in the proposal we put up originally of the road being built by a public private partnership (PPP) on, largely, a user-pays principle.”

Mr Rodger Kerr-Newell says the only effect that the change has made on council’s planning for Penlink has been one of time. And even that, he says, is minimal.

“We still have much of the team in place and a great deal of institutional knowledge that was just sitting there waiting for the green-light, regardless of the funding model.

“Now that we know what we’re dealing with, the council is getting the team back on the road to delivering this road to the people of Rodney.

“We’re back in business.”

 ENDS

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