Government Has No Choice But To Support Transmission Gully Bill

The Government must support my Member's Bill to have Transmission Gully built if they are going to retain a shred of credibility on the issue, says Hon Peter Dunne, leader United Future New Zealand and MP for Ohariu-Belmont.

"With evidence almost on a daily basis of the need for and strong support of the Transmission Gully route the Government cannot afford to vote my Bill down when I introduce it to Parliament on Wednesday.

"To do so will be petty and irresponsible, especially in light of comments just last week from Wellington coroner Garry Evans who said, Transmission Gully needs to be built as soon as possible to reduce the risk of further crashes on State Highway 1, especially between Pukerua Bay and Paekakiriki. If we as responsible politicians ignore the coroner's comments then we do so at our own peril," says Mr Dunne.

He says his Bill is a genuine attempt to move the issue forward and he considers it a good starting point given the ongoing lack of progress on this issue.

"I do not blame the present Government totally for the lack of action and would be pleased to work with them to advance the issue to reality.

"Their support for at least introducing my Bill would go some way to forging a non-partisan solution to the present impasse and more importantly would signal to the people of the Wellington region that local MPs are serious about the issue and prepared to work in the common interest of their region," says Mr Dunne.

Last year Mr Dunne presented the 'Do It Now' petition to Parliament which contained over 24,000 signatures. The Wellington Regional Council has also completed surveys showing strong support form the people of Wellington for the Gully road and a high willingness to pay.

" My Bill is brought into Parliament in good faith. I call on the Government to act in similar good faith and demonstrate their commitment to Transmission Gully," concludes Mr Dunne.

Ends

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>