National's four transport polices in one day
The National party has broken new ground in destroying its own credibility by announcing four different transport
polices in one day.
1. At 7:55 am yesterday John Key is on Morning Report and commits National to spending no more than $600 million on
transport from the Crown Account over the next three years.
2. At 4:30 pm yesterday Don Brash gives a speech to the Contractors Federation committing National to spending $1.8
billion more than Labour on transport over the next six years. Over three years, that would mean spending $1.835 billion
on transport from the Crown Account. That's the equivalent of five cents off the 39 per cent tax rate.
3. As Brash is speaking, National's transport spokesman announced another version of the Party's policy. Maurice
Williamson commits National to Labour's packages of $900 million for Auckland, $885 million for Wellington and the $150
million one for the Bay of Plenty that partly make up Labour's committed spending on transport from the Crown Account.
But unlike Brash, Williamson refused to back the $500 million announced in July that Brash has counted in. Williamson's
policy would cost $1.13 billion over three years from the Crown Account.
4. After Williamson's statement goes out, Brash has his mind changed and a retraction is issued. What he meant to say is
that $1.8 billion would be in addition to everything announced by Labour by last month. Only one package has been
announced since; $150 million for the Bay of Plenty. Brash's promise now is to spend $3.685 billion over six years from
the Crown Account. "It’s the same old story with National – transport chaos. Four polices announced in one day with a
price tags ranging from $600 million to $1.835 billion from the Crown Account over the next three years," says Transport
Minister Pete Hodgson. "These are the people that want New Zealanders to trust them to run the country. I don't think
they are competent enough to run a raffle."