Lonely dinosaur seeks white elephant

News that the National Party plans to borrow billions and gut the RMA so it can fast track new motorway projects is evidence that National is living in the past, Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman says.

"It would seem that not all the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago - some are alive and well inside the National Party. But the dinosaurs are lonely so they plan to use our money to build some white elephant motorway projects to keep them company.

"National may not have noticed but a meteor called rapidly rising petrol prices has hit planet earth - investing our resources in new motorway projects isn't the smartest thing to do if we don't plan to go the way of the dinosaurs," Dr Norman says.

"Climate change is underway and we need to cut our greenhouse emissions, not increase them. Forcing people back onto roads because National wants to spend all our money on motorways is going to hurt financially and environmentally.

"Petrol is more than $2 a litre and people are desperately trying to find affordable and sustainable ways to get to work. That means better public transport, safer cycling and walking, not more motorways.

"NGOs and community organisations already struggle with the RMA but making it easier for roading contractors and big business developers to fast-track roading processes isn't going to help, and these plans should concern anyone who cares about this beautiful country.

"The Green Party agrees there is a place in the RMA for the call-in process, but this shouldn't be at the expense of proper representation from community groups and NGOs.

"National's views won't survive, just the like the dinosaurs, but the danger is that the rest of us will be left to be crushed by their white elephants long after the dinosaurs are dead and buried.

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