Baldock baffled by Green ‘logic’

United Future transport spokesman Larry Baldock says he’s baffled by the alleged reasoning behind the Green Party’s attitude towards the Government’s handling of fuel tax revenue.

“Yesterday in the House, Greens co-leader Jeannette Fitzsimons justified the Government’s siphoning off of fuel tax revenue to the Consolidated Fund by saying that other countries do the same thing,” said Mr Baldock.

“Surely she is not suggesting that anything is OK because others do it.

“Just because other Governments do not have a transparent regime of handling fuel tax revenue is no justification for the practice here in NZ.”

Mr Baldock said the Government’s announcement yesterday of the Land Transport Management legislation that allows PPP projects was good news as it was part of the United Future/ Labour-led Government agreement and the party was glad to see it tabled in the House.

“We will need private sector investment in our roads. The fact is that New Zealand needs a massive increase in road infrastructure investment that must come from all possible sources.

“They include private partnerships, Government allowing Transit NZ to toll roads and forward borrow, and the full allocation of the revenue raised from fuel taxes being spent on the roads as well.

“Unfortunately government under-spending over the last two decades has meant we must play catch up for the next decade or run the risk of seriously affecting our business efficiency in this country,” warned Mr Baldock.

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