Press Release

Affordable Auckland
Transport
 
Imagination Needed to Fix Auckland Transport
 
According to Affordable Auckland Waitemata & Gulf Council candidate Stephen Berry, there is a “severe lack of imagination” in the current debate over how Auckland’s transport needs should be funded. The Consensus Building Group which has been charged with finding a solution to traffic congestion in the city estimates that there will need to be an additional $400 million of funding per year for thirty years.
 
“The debate on funding Auckland’s transport needs has been dominated by three options that are more similar than different,” says Mr. Berry. “Regional fuel taxes, increased rates and road tolls on existing motorways are all variants of the same idea; that the solution to our problems is more taxation. I say the solution is to look outside of the box and attract private investment in worthwhile transport projects!”
 
“Even big government spenders like Len Brown can see that this isn’t an issue that can be solved just by Government. He himself advocates for the use of public private partnerships.” Stephen Berry argues though that even PPP’s will not solve this issue. “While a PPP may result in more efficient spending of ratepayer money, it doesn’t change where the money must come from, nor does it mean higher taxation will not be needed. That is why we need a law change at central government level to allow the building of private roads, by private investors with private money that does not have to be stumped up by ratepayers!”
 
Stephen Berry doesn’t believe the funding gap portrayed by the Consensus Building Group is close to being accurate. “That funding gap would account for projects which are probably worthwhile, such as a second harbour crossing, as well as the ludicrous peacocking concepts such as the Central Rail Loop. Instead of risking billions of ratepayer dollars and automotive tax dollars on political ego boosts, let’s put transport projects out to tender to private companies. The worthwhile ideas will attract private investment without risk to the ratepayer. The stupid ideas will never get off the ground.”
 
“I fully support the idea of a private company or group of companies risking their own money to build bridges and roads which they then place tolls on. It ensures we don’t have to raise taxes, public money is not at risk and only those who use the road will pay for it. I will never support the idea of putting tolls on existing public roads that have already been paid for out of taxation.”
 
Ends
 

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