Media release

Auckland Councillor Cameron Brewer

Monday, 4 February 2013

Promise of more ferries seriously limited by CBD rail obsession

Mayor Len Brown’s promise of an integrated transport system for Auckland, including more ferry terminals, will be seriously stymied with 80 percent of the region’s 10-year public transport infrastructure budget set to be solely allocated to the City Rail Link, says Auckland Councillor for Orakei, Cameron Brewer.

“Yesterday’s opening of the new ferry terminals for Beach Haven and Hobsonville Point was a great day for Auckland, but the claim that ferries would play a much greater role in Auckland’s transport future was a bit disingenuous. The rhetoric simply does not match the reality of what’s being planned and budgeted.”

Today Mr Brewer pointed to extracts from the Draft Auckland Regional Public Transport Plan published in October 2012, with public submissions currently being heard by Auckland Transport.

The draft proposes that of the $3.5b allocated for public transport infrastructure “approximately 80 percent” will be allocated to the $2.8b City Rail Link, with just $736m allocated to “other PT infrastructure” over the next 10 years, which includes the likes of ferry terminals.

"These two new ferry terminals are great but the sad reality is the council won't be able to pour a heap into new or improved ferry infrastructure simply because of the Mayor's central city rail obsession which is set to soak up most of the public transport capital expenditure budget this coming decade.

"Spending approximately 80 percent of the 10-year budget on the City Rail Link is not a balanced approach, and will not deliver a strong and mixed integrated transport system.

“This is not good news for ferry and bus users who want serious investment in their infrastructure and services. The Mayor tells everyone he’s going to do everything, but the budget clearly points to one CBD project soaking up most of the money”

“In 2013/14 alone we’re set to spend $180m on the City Rail Link. That’s a lot of ferry terminals or tarmac for new bus-lanes,” says Cameron Brewer.

www.cameronbrewer.co.nz

Source of attachment: Pages 8, 9. Draft Auckland Regional Public Transport Plan, published October 2012 by Auckland Transport.

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Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>