“Transport Minister Michael Wood today has proved himself to be totally out of touch with everyday Kiwis, he is governing for left-wing activists and not real people,” says ACT’s Transport Spokesperson Simon Court.

“Today in the House I questioned Wood about yesterday’s pirouette from ardent defence to humbled withdrawal of his draft Government Policy Statement (GPS). At 7am yesterday he was on the radio defending the GPS which paved the way for gutting road maintenance budgets to turn car parks and traffic lanes into bike lines, bus lanes and walkways. By the end of the day he had pulled the handbrake and done a complete 180 to renouncing it.

“I asked Wood in Parliament why he has let New Zealand’s roads reach such perilous states despite Waka Kotahi publishing a document in 2020 that detailed 40 extreme and 143 resilience risks to the state highway network. Despite this knowledge, Michael Wood has prioritised expensive and unnecessary projects like Auckland Light Rail and his failed cycle bridge.

“Wood says it’s a false choice to say the Government must choose between resilience and his ideological projects, if this was true then our roads wouldn’t be falling apart while light rail consultants continue to cash checks.

“You only have to look at the evidence. Michael Wood has overseen a record number of complaints to NZTA regarding damage from poorly maintained roads. ACT has also revealed the Government has reduced the amount of structural asphalt resurfacing by more than half, replacing it with thin asphalt coverings.

“Wood is out of touch. The Transport Minister should be directing his department to provide safe and efficient ways for Kiwis to live their lives, however they choose to do so. Someone should not be demonised for needing to go places and do things, if they need to pick the kids up from Hockey practice, go to the doctors and pick up some milk from the dairy on the way home then public transport isn’t going to help them. Taking away parking and funding for road maintenance makes life harder.

“The Government’s sole focus for the roading network should be getting people from A to B as safely and efficiently as possible. That’s what ACT stands for.”

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