Time For Labour To Feel Blow-Torch Over Transmission Gully Delays

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says it is time Labour "felt the blow-torch of public outrage" over its failure to make progress on Transmission Gully.

"It is now common knowledge that the Government's lack of political commitment to Transmission Gully has mean that nothing will happen before the next election, meaning the project looks as far away as ever."

"Yet, if anything, public opinion has hardened even more in favour of Transmission Gully in the last two years, and Labour's failure to deliver will be properly interpreted as a massive betrayal of the Wellington region's trust in giving 6 of its 7 electorate seats to the Labour Party."

"Wellington voters have simply been conned by the 'Silent Six' local Labour MPs' inaction on this issue, and those MPs deserve to be held to account for their treachery."

"It is now time they felt the backlash of voter outrage on this issue," he says.

Mr Dunne recalls that when his Construction of Transmission Gully Highway Bill was defeated by Parliament earlier this year Labour MPs said their own legislation would be forthcoming within weeks.

"This has now been shown to be a sham."

"Unlike the 'Silent Six' I have no intention of backing away from this issue, and the Labour Party's treachery makes me more determined than ever to carry on the campaign to bring Transmission Gully to fruition."

"I do rue the fact that my warnings earlier this year that the Labour Party would backslide on the issue were ignored at the time by groups like the Wellington Regional Council, who has now been hung out to dry, since my warnings have come true."

"Labour's treachery has thrown down the gauntlet to Wellington people, and I invite the people of our region to now rally around my campaign to ensure that Labour gets the message on Transmission Gully, loud and clear once and for all," Mr Dunne says.

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