Jami-Lee Ross - Transport
14 June 2018
The Prime Minister has again misled New Zealanders, this time breaking her promise that one of regional New Zealand’s
most important roading projects would not be affected by the Government’s transport changes, National’s Transport
spokesperson, Jami-Lee Ross says.
“New Zealanders were told just months ago by Jacinda Ardern and Transport Minister Phil Twyford that their new transport
policies, including ripping $5 billion from the state highway budget, would not threaten major projects like the Otaki
to Levin expressway.
"Both the Prime Minister and Mr Twyford gave repeated, specific assurances that the much-needed expressway started by
National ‘is continuing in the same way’, and claiming the Opposition saying otherwise was ‘a political stunt designed
to confuse the public.
“Well they owe the public an apology because they were wrong.
“Today both Mr Twyford and NZTA have been forced to confirm the expressway’s future is now up in the air because of
Labour’s ill-thought through transport changes and its decision to substantially reduce funding at the expense of
critical roading projects around our regions.
“NZTA has also confirmed a number of other major projects are being re-evaluated because of the Government’s unhealthy
obsession with trams.
“Projects such as the Tauranga Northern Link have been halted.
“This is gutting for regional New Zealand whose major projects greenlit by the previous Government, to upgrade roads in
some of the busiest and most dangerous areas, are now being put on hold so that Phil Twyford can build a tram set in
Auckland.
“New Zealanders were promised their regional roads would go ahead and are paying new roading taxes which they thought
would ensure that. It’s another broken promise and another example of an incompetent and clumsy Government saying one
thing and doing another.”
ends