31 March 2004
Media Release
Transfund’s disclosure of a surplus is a disgrace….
“What the hell are Transfund doing declaring a $250 million surplus, when there is so much transport infrastructure work
to be done….”
In the context of Transit New Zealand’s confirmation in recent days that some six Auckland state highway projects are
ready for construction, Michael Barnett, CEO of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, said that to now learn that Transfund
has unspent money is a disgrace….
“For Transfund’ to be revealing a surplus when thousands of Aucklanders making their way home this evening are caught in
traffic gridlock because of incomplete network is unacceptable and deserving of a rebuke from the highest quarter of the
Beehive – It’s just not good enough.”
He called on the Minister of Transport to direct Transfund to reallocate the surplus to enable Transit to immediately
kick-start all six of the projects it has confirmed in recent days are “ready to go.”
ENDS