8 July 2001

Govt Running Late To Deliver Auckland Rail Corridors

The decision by Auckland councils to use conventional and light rail to deliver rapid transport to Aucklanders puts the heat on the Government to deliver the promised rail corridors, National's Transport spokesperson Belinda Vernon said today.

"The Government muscled in and took over negotiations from Auckland local authorities with Tranz Rail because it thought it could do a better job.

"The Government said it could meet the deadline of 30 June so that necessary equipment decisions could be made in time. That deadline has passed. It's now talking about the end of August. But those close to the deal say that's looking increasingly unlikely.

"It came in as the facilitator, but the Government has now become the blockage. Rather than being part of the solution, it is part of the problem.

"The Auckland councils have made a commitment to improve Auckland's public transport as part of the solution to Auckland's congestion problems. They're doing their bit; the Government has to do its bit.

"Without a decision soon we'll be in the farcical situation of having the brand new Waitemata transport terminal without access to the rail corridors to use it.

"Until there is certainty about the rail corridor access it's impossible for financial commitments to be made by interested parties on equipment and additional infrastructure.

"Instead of picking up where the councils left off the Government seems to have wasted time going back to square one, recreating the wheel.

"The Government was elected on its promise to fix Auckland's transport problems. It needs to get some runs on the board," Ms Vernon said.

Ends

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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>>