Wellington MPs and local government reps meet

Wellington members of Parliament welcome today's first in a series of meetings with local government leaders from their region, Wellington Central MP Marian Hobbs, spokesperson for the MPs said.

"The purpose of the meeting was to get a shared understanding of the issues between local government and local MPs," she said.

"Transport was the focus today, but there will be further emphasis on economic development, urban planning, planning for education, working together with immigrants, Project Probe and other issues.

"The chairperson of the Greater Wellington Regional Council, Margaret Shields and myself will be drawing up a schedule of meetings and topics. We would hope to widen the groups attending, to get citizens together to find solutions.

"Everyone there today wants to work together for the benefit of Greater Wellington. But to work effectively we all need to be involved in identifying both the barriers to growth and solutions.

"Merely to ask MPs to attend, to listen and forward ideas and requests to government is not enough.

"Today's concentration on transport established that the priority list, submitted to the Regional Land Transport Committee was the agreed list of priorities. The main issue was how fast those projects could be completed.

"Funding for roading solutions was raised. There was an exchange of information on the actual distribution of roading funds across the country, as against the figures quoted. And there was discussion on the funding issues covered in the Land Transport Bill, currently before the House.

"It was the first meeting and we have a way to go to work comfortably together. But we are engaging."

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