Belinda Vernon National Transport Spokesperson

16 February 2001

Government kicks for touch with latest rail shunt

The Government's constant pushing out of the timetable on the Auckland rail deal is testing the patience of Aucklanders. Auckland's been given deadlines before, this time the Government's got to deliver, National's Transport spokesperson Belinda Vernon said today.

Ms Vernon's comments follow today's meeting between Government Ministers and Auckland Local Authority representatives, which concluded that the Government will further delay its support in principle now to 31 March 2001,'by which time the Government has committed to having resolved all the relevant issues'.

"While the Auckland Local Authorities say they are pleased with securing a commitment by the Government to resolve issues by 31 March, Transport Minister Mark Gosche has promised much and the public now expects some urgency.

"In October it was going to be December, then it was February, now it's March. We hope the new timetable committed to by the Government will run with German precision, not Third World."

Meanwhile, National's Spokesperson on Auckland Issues Murray McCully said "the Government is running out of time and credibility on this cornerstone Auckland issue."

"While the Ministers involved are making the right noises, it's now time to start acting. The fact that Heather Simpson was present at this morning's meeting is the strongest indication yet that the Government is serious," Ms Vernon said.

"The issues relating to the National Rail Policy are complex and affect the whole country. This mustn't stop the Government from resolving the paramount Auckland issues in order to meet its 31 March deadline," she said.

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