Today’s announcement that the cost of the country’s biggest transport project, Auckland’s City Rail Link, has ballooned out by $1 billion is extremely concerning and raises serious questions about the Government’s ability to manage major infrastructure projects, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“In what the Prime Minister calls the Government’s year of delivery, Transport Minister Phil Twyford has delivered one of the country’s biggest project blowouts.

“Mr Twyford and his officials appear to have mismanaged what are now ever increasing project costs. The Minister has ducked for cover and remained silent on the project blowout, but he’s the first to pose for photo opportunities.

“Hard working Kiwis will be worried about the freedom with which this Government spends their money.

“The Government should explain how the cost of the project has blown out by $1 billion since taking office 18 months ago and tell taxpayers how long they have known about this and how the costs will be met.

“The light rail project is well behind its timeline and National understands it’s also facing a budget blowout. It’s time for Mr Twyford to be more open and transparent with taxpayer’s money.

“The Government has also cynically released this information off the back of a confirmation from the Prime Minister there would be no Capital Gains Tax, right before the Easter long weekend. This isn’t the first time the Government has tried to hide bad news, and it won’t be the last.”

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