JAFA Government's Lousy Christmas Present To Wellingtonians
United Future leader and Ohariu Belmont MP, Hon Peter Dunne, is incensed at the Government's decision not to support his
Construction of Transmission Gully Highway Bill, which he says is a lousy Christmas present to Wellingtonians.
The Government has apparently decided for no more than party political reasons to vote out Mr Dunne's Bill to appoint a
special Commissioner to fast track the construction of Transmission Gully, when it comes to Parliament for a vote next
February.
Mr Dunne is outraged at the Government's petty attitude which he says is a deliberate insult to the people of
Wellington, especially the 25,000 who signed his "Do It Now" petition last year.
"To make matters worse, at the same time it has announced an Auckland State Highway Strategy which will involve a
further $1 billion being spent to develop new highways in Auckland over the next 10 years."
"These two decisions make it clear we have an anti-Wellington JAFA Government in office, and that the region's Labour,
Alliance and Green MPs are ineffectual puppets of the Government's JAFA leadership, more interested in playing politics
than serving their region."
"In this context it is no real surprise the JAFA Prime Minster can be such a grinch over Christmas tree lights at
Premier House, something she would never dare do in Auckland," he says.
Mr Dunne says that over the next few weeks many Wellingtonians will be caught in traffic jams at Paremata Bridge.
"As they sit there hot and fuming, I want them to remember how they have been let down by their local Labour, Alliance
and Green MPs, and the JAFA Government's lousy attitude to getting Transmission Gully built."
"But there is something they can do to vent their frustration - they can ring Transport Minister and Auckland MP Mark
Gosche's office on 470 6567 or fax him on 495 8468 and tell him directly what they think of his JAFA attitude to
Transmission Gully."
"And they should also contact their local Labour MPs and make clear to them they will not be voting for Labour in the
future if the JAFA Government votes my Bill down," he says.
Ends