24 June 2004
Hon Jim Anderton MP, Progressive Leader
State of rail link another failure of privatisation
The fragile state of the West Coast rail link exposed by the Kellogg Brown and Root's report on the South Island rail
coal route, demonstrates yet another failure of the privatisation of essential infrastucture, Jim Anderton, Progressive
Leader said today.
The coal route is currently fit to carry current volumes of freight for another two years but needs attention for the
future.
"The lack of investment in the South Island rail coal route is disgraceful. This rail link is essential to some of our
biggest export industries (coal), West Coast businesses and communities and should have been maintained and upgraded
before now. "The situation we are in now, where $70 million is needed to get this track up to standard, is a clear
result of privatisation policies where essential infrastructure was sold off to companies, which refused to accept
responsibility for the strategic role they play in the New Zealand economy.
"This is a wake up call for National who enthuse over handing New Zealand's strategic assets to private companies with
no accountability for the greater economic wellbeing of New Zealand. They would put some of our biggest export earning
industries at risk for the sake of their 'hands off' ideology.
"This Labour Progressive government actively supports and promotes economic development and this situation proves that
our 'hands on' approach to investment in essential infrastructure is clearly on the right track," Jim Anderton said.
ENDS