National's four transport polices in one day

The National party has broken new ground in destroying its own credibility by announcing four different transport polices in one day.

1. At 7:55 am yesterday John Key is on Morning Report and commits National to spending no more than $600 million on transport from the Crown Account over the next three years.

2. At 4:30 pm yesterday Don Brash gives a speech to the Contractors Federation committing National to spending $1.8 billion more than Labour on transport over the next six years. Over three years, that would mean spending $1.835 billion on transport from the Crown Account. That's the equivalent of five cents off the 39 per cent tax rate.

3. As Brash is speaking, National's transport spokesman announced another version of the Party's policy. Maurice Williamson commits National to Labour's packages of $900 million for Auckland, $885 million for Wellington and the $150 million one for the Bay of Plenty that partly make up Labour's committed spending on transport from the Crown Account. But unlike Brash, Williamson refused to back the $500 million announced in July that Brash has counted in. Williamson's policy would cost $1.13 billion over three years from the Crown Account.

4. After Williamson's statement goes out, Brash has his mind changed and a retraction is issued. What he meant to say is that $1.8 billion would be in addition to everything announced by Labour by last month. Only one package has been announced since; $150 million for the Bay of Plenty. Brash's promise now is to spend $3.685 billion over six years from the Crown Account. "It’s the same old story with National – transport chaos. Four polices announced in one day with a price tags ranging from $600 million to $1.835 billion from the Crown Account over the next three years," says Transport Minister Pete Hodgson. "These are the people that want New Zealanders to trust them to run the country. I don't think they are competent enough to run a raffle."

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