Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Petition launched to support East-West Link

Petition launched to support East-West Link

National MPs Denise Lee, Simeon Brown and Jami-Lee Ross have today launched a petition to gather support for the East-West Link which is now uncertain under the new Government.

“In announcing that the East-West Link is being sent back to the drawing board, the new Government has clearly signalled it does not understand the urgency of Auckland’s congestion issues,” Ms Lee says.

“The value of this project to residents, businesses, and the council should make it of utmost importance to the new Government but all we have is uncertainty and the dismissal of a monumental amount of work that has been carried out to date.

“After a decade of planning and $50 million of investigative spending, you would expect that there was a clear direction on the project. This project has been through a fine toothed procedural process like no other. It is supported by council, iwi, and has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Board of Inquiry.

“The current gridlock is a major barrier to commerce. This is making it difficult for people getting access to their basic daily goods. It is quite literally the bread and butter of transport projects.”

Mr Brown says many residents in Pakuranga work at or own businesses that would have benefitted from this project.

“With freight movements in the area expected to double by 2035 it is an important part of the solution to Auckland’s transport issues.

“The area targeted by the East-West Link employs approximately 68,000 people and contributes roughly $4.6 billion a year to Auckland’s economy. The key aspect of the project is to create a further connection between State Highway 1 and State Highway 20 and improve connections to rail and freight hubs in the area.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Mr Ross says the hold up on this project means that the wider East Auckland area won’t see the full benefits that would be delivered by transport projects like East-West Link and AMETI.

“Botany is home to the growing East Tamaki industrial area, projects like East-West Link are very important for ensuring that freight can be moved more efficiently in the future.

“This is an important project that the Government has wrongly thrown into uncertainty. We will continue to push the Government to include the project in their plan and we encourage the public to show their support through signing the petition.”

The petition can be found here.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.