Responding to today's front page article in The Post, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union is demanding the Government take immediate action to overturn a High Court ruling which will grind infrastructure development to a halt by making it next to impossible for NZTA to relocate or inadvertently kill wildlife.

Commenting on this, Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross says:

“This isn’t just a spanner in the works—it’s a wrecking ball that will demolish New Zealand’s infrastructure pipeline. New Zealand’s bang-for-buck on infrastructure spending is already in the developed world's bottom ten percent, and this ruling will bind taxpayers in even more delays and legal challenges.”

“Tying the country up in green tape is the last thing we need to “Go for Growth”. The only thing getting built will be more courtrooms.”

“This bombshell lands right as the Government is trying to coax foreign investors to invest billions into infrastructure projects that now might never see the light of day. How can investors take New Zealand seriously when we’re putting spiders and slugs ahead of building roads?”

“We’ve just seen NZTA waste $85,000 finding a single lizard in Taranaki, but following this absurd ruling the gold-plated gecko hunt will just be the start. The Government needs to take immediate action, or we may as well slap a ‘closed for business’ sign on the country.”

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