After five years of failure, Transport Minister Michael Wood is still pouring millions of dollars into consultants for Auckland light rail with no end in sight, National’s Transport spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Labour promised in 2017 that they would build light rail from Auckland CBD to Mt Roskill by 2021, but half a decade later and there still isn’t even a final business case. All we have seen is millions of taxpayer dollars spent on consultants.

“NZTA has only just announced preferred bidders for the light rail project to work on the final route and develop the final business case.

“Minister Wood has already spent more than two thirds of the total light rail spend on consultants, upwards of $40 million, and wants to waste millions more on more consultants.

“Business Desk revealed earlier this year that a final investment decision won’t be made until 2024. It is concerning to imagine the millions more dollars that will be wasted by then.

“Treasury estimates that it could cost up to $29.2 billion, and a final business case is still years away.

“The Minister has failed to deliver on one of Labour’s key 2017 election promises and has a reckless disregard for taxpayer money.

“A National Government will restore discipline to government spending and judging from this ongoing debacle, that can’t happen soon enough.”

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