Media Release
17 January 2003

STOP PLAYING JAMES BOND BROWN ADVISES MINISTER OF TRANSPORT

New Zealand First believes the Transport Minister should stop believing he is some sort of secret service agent in his dealings with Tranzrail and be more transparent.

New Zealand First Transport Spokesman, Peter Brown, said New Zealand needs a modern, efficient, reliable and expanding railway service. It needs it urgently. The commuting/traveling public needs it. Movers of freight need it.

“The Minister should, in short order, form a “railway track” company, identify the value of the existing track, which should include an appropriate deduction for the cost of upgrading and repairing it to acceptable standard, and instigate meaningful negotiations with Tranzrail. We need to buy the rail track back and allow operators to use it and pay user charges.

“There needs to be nothing secretive about this. Minister Swain should be more open and forthright,” Mr Brown concluded

ENDS

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