Media Release
9 March 2015

What are NZ First’s transport policies?

The Northland road transport industry wants New Zealand First to spell out its transport policies for the by-election, the Road Transport Forum’s Chief Executive Ken Shirley says.

“Attacking other parties’ policies is a traditional ploy, but our members want to know what NZ First is offering the electorate. So far all we’ve had is a promise to somehow stop Ports of Auckland expansion and develop Whangarei’s container port. In the next breath, the New Zealand First candidate is reported as promising to develop a rail link with the Ports of Auckland which of course would take freight away from Whangarei. It doesn’t make sense.”

Mr Shirley says his members want to know if NZ First stands by its 2014 election manifesto. “They’ve got a few questions. Why wasn’t improved rail services to Northland in the policy which promised to pour money into the hopelessly uneconomic Gisborne-Napier line, the Auckland rail network, including construction of the central city loop by 2016, and expanded train services for Wellington and Christchurch commuters?

“On top of this the Party said that public transport needed to be ‘well resourced’. All this funding for rail and public transport would come out of the Land Transport Fund according to the manifesto, starting with $300 million for rail alone with money taken from the Roads of National Significance (RoNS). Would this mean scrapping the vitally important Puhoi-Wellsford RoNS? That’s much more important for Northland’s economic future.

“The Land Transport Fund isn’t a magical source of money. It’s paid for from the petrol taxes and Road User Charges. How much would NZ First appropriate from the Fund for its rail and public transport projects and how much money would that leave for the roading upgrades Northland so desperately needs? With all the taxes and RUCs already going into the Fund, roading projects around the country would have to be cut back, not augmented.”

Last election NZ First promised to scrap RUCs for light diesel vehicles and put a tax on diesel as with petrol, Mr Shirley says. “Our members would like to know why the road freight industry using heavy diesel vehicles should be treated differently.

“Given the current polls, Northland voters deserve to have NZ First clearly state its policies so they can make an informed decision come election day.”

ENDS

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