Labour leader Helen Clark has finally admitted that the principles of the National Government's roading policy must be implemented, despite previously criticising it, Transport Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

Miss Clark announced aspects of Labour's plans for roading at the Road Transport Forum Annual Conference on Saturday.

"She's suddenly advocating the building of toll roads by private companies which would be returned to public ownership when the companies recouped their investment," said Mr Williamson.

"Where's she been for the last few years. Toll roads and private sector participation have been major features of National's proposed roading document, Better Transport Better Roads, which has attracted over 1000 submissions."

Miss Clark also announced Labour's intention to work with local authorities to identify and adopt changes.

"This is another cornerstone of what we've been doing for the last few years and will continue to do. We've been consulting widely on our Better Transport, Better Roads document, where local authorities have had a great deal of input."

"Labour has finally conceded that something must be done about our roading system as we have for some time. But apart from using some of the ideas we have had on the table for some time, they are very vague about how to deal with the problem," said Mr Williamson.

"I will also be interested to hear the Alliance's reaction to the Labour position on tolling."

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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>>