Hon Roger Sowry MP National Party Transport Spokesman

07 October 2003

Govt obsesses over rail ownership

Labour's ideological obsession with ownership has again been exposed in the bizarre decision to spend taxpayer money buying the Wellington Railway Station buildings, says National Party Transport spokesman Roger Sowry.

"The Government is spending more than $20 million on bricks and mortar when the private sector would have jumped at the opportunity to develop the site," says Mr Sowry.

"The whole thing smells of another subsidy for Australian company Toll, which has fought desperately to avoid owning anything but the rolling stock.

"If the new railway station tenants are paying market rentals, there's no reason why regular market forces would not have invested.

"Instead the Government's chosen to pursue its unhealthy ideological fixation with empire building, further exposing the Kiwi taxpayer to more risk.

Ends

© Scoop Media