Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Labour Has No Credibility On Transport

National’s costings for its 10-year Transport for the Future package announced today are robust, the funding sources are known, and a National government will deliver every project, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“It’s rich for Labour’s transport spokesperson David Parker to today suggest there’s a shortfall in National’s costings. National used the upper figures of the Government’s own range of costings that are publicly available, and we have set aside a significant contingency of $1.4 billion. We will also invite private partners to contribute to some projects, as happens regularly overseas, so the total tab does not fall on taxpayers.

“Just weeks ago, the Transport Minister told National the latest cost estimate for a Cambridge to Piarere highway was $605 million to $721 million. National responsibly used the top of that range for its costings. Today, the minister claims the estimated cost has roughly doubled.

“Either the minister hid the cost of the project at the start of this month when we asked for it, or he’s tasked officials to change the numbers to desperately justify his partisan attack.

“The Labour Government has utterly no credibility on transport project delivery, or sticking to a budget.

“National’s entire $24 billion package is less than the $30 billion phantom light rail project for Auckland that Labour said would open in 2021. Six years later and with more than $140 million already down the drain, not one metre of light rail exists. National will can this hopeless project.

“In six years, Labour has not stuck to its spending allowance in its annual Budget and it’s now spending more than $1 billion a week more than National was spending six years ago, but there’s nothing to show for it.

“National doesn’t just talk. We get things built.

“We don’t need Mr Parker to point out that there’s inflation. That’s about the only thing that Labour has created.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

Featured News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.