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Northland Roadblock – We Can’t Drive Over Updates
Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of Parliament for Northland
23 AUGUST
2016
Northland Roadblock – We Can’t Drive Over Updates
The PM promised in Parliament today to give updates on National’s by-election promises, but he’ll struggle to do that – you can’t drive across updates,” says New Zealand First Leader and Northland MP Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“The update we want is to be able to drive across the two-lane bridges that were promised. But one-lane bridges are still in place at Taipa, Kaeo, Waihou River (Rangiahua), Tirohanga Taheke, Waimamaku River (Hallahans), Waimamaku River (Lowes), Darby and Joan, Matakohe River (Hardies) and Andersons.
“On the new Puhoi-Warkworth-Wellsford highway it is the same story. The much-trumpeted promise hasn’t even progressed to one metre of new road.
“We still don’t know what Mr Key has decided to do about the Darby and Joan bridge – which is an environmental award winning ramp through the kauri forest. Mr Key promised that the two majestic kauri trees, Darby and Joan, would not be cut down, so what does he have planned instead?
“During the by-election National said the 10 two-lane bridges would cost up to $69 million so why wasn’t the money spent and the bridges built?
“The answer is obvious. This was never a costed project that had been in planning for some time, it was last-minute vote buying.”
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