CITIZENS AGAINST PRIVATISATION (CAP)

Media Release, 29/2/08

Open Submission: Sus Transport Update NZ Transport Strategy 08

Citizens Against Privatisation: Brief Submission on 'Sustainable Transport' - Update of the New Zealand Transport Strategy Discussion paper

I found this 66-page discussion paper only this afternoon, so these comments are necessarily brief and not according to your format. As this strategy is supposed to guide future governments until 2040, I expect that these comments will be given due consideration regardless of their brevity.

Citizens Against Privatisation strongly disagrees that there can be anything 'sustainable' about your Objective/Principle on page 21 (pdf p22) Number 6a: User pays - (the full costs of transport). Otherwise known as a synonym for privatisation.

This means that the working class majority of the population are supposed to pay also the full cost of all freight transported, in inflated prices of the necessities of life.

When seen through the lens of privatised so-called public transport, privatised and contracted-out local and 'public' services of all kinds, public-private partnerships for all infrastructure, road pricing, congestion charges, road tolls, extra fuel taxes to subsidise privatised passenger transport, extra fuel and electricity charges to subsidise the greenhouse emissions stock market, street corridor GPS (Govt Policy Statement) tolls to ensure travellers on foot, cycle, skateboard, mobility scooter and car pay the full cost of their use of the travel corridor - backed by 'mode share' punitive enforcement - but lacking the rates/tax write-off subsidies for it all bestowed on their low-paying betters...

It is clear to us that 'sustainable' must be re-defined as the more honest traditional euphemism: that ordinary people would be required to 'tighten your belts' - indefinitely.

Much of the logic of your document, its accuracy, its failure to reference some of its own footnotes, its underlying intentions, could be taken apart given more unpaid available time. It is not available.

This is not a sustainable transport strategy.

Citizens Against Privatisation wishes to make verbal submissions, in Auckland.

ends

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