Maurice Williamson MP
National Party Transport Spokesman

25 July 2008

Labour appoints stooges and hacks

National’s Transport spokesman Maurice Williamson says it’s a disgrace that Labour has stacked the board of the newly formed New Zealand Transport Agency with its stooges.

“Labour’s cronyism knows no bounds,” says Mr Williamson.

“This is Labour once again playing favourites, bogging down boards with party-friendly hacks.”

The new board of the New Zealand Transport Agency features Labour Party president Mike Williams who has been appointed by his own party to just about every transport board there is.

“His income from all of his government board appointments must be nearly enough to fund Labour’s entire election campaign.

“Mike Williams is joined by ex-Labour Mayor of Christchurch, Gary Moore, and failed Wellington Central Labour candidate Alick Shaw. Alick Shaw was also booted out in the 2007 Wellington City Council election.

“The Labour line-up is rounded off by Christine Caughey who originally stood on the left wing City Vision ticket and, of late, Action Hobson in the Auckland City local body elections. She was soundly beaten by all three Citizens and Ratepayers candidates.

“In addition, Christine Caughey is actively hostile to, and has publicly campaigned against, the building of new roads. She is the very last person who should be on the board of the new transport agency that subsumes the old Transit New Zealand – the Government’s state highway agency whose job it is to build new roads.

“It’s an utter disgrace that despite the people of Wellington Central and the Hobson Ward not wanting these people, the Labour Government believes it is appropriate to foist them onto the rest of us.

“There are good people on this board, but they, along with the rest of New Zealand, deserve to have all board members of a similar calibre, not just Labour Party loyalists.

“With the election looming, convention would suggest that Labour should have at least consulted with National over the appointments. But that’s too much like an impartial, transparent process.”

ENDS

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