Hobble to work, says Minister

Transport Minister Stephen Joyce opened "Walk to Work" day this morning, just two days after taking $15 million from those who walk and cycle and giving it to those who drive.

In his address to a gathering of walkers at Frank Kitts Park in Wellington, the Transport Minister did not say that he had just halved the funding for walking and cycling facilities in the Land Transport Programme and put the money into new state highways.

To illustrate the crippling effect of the budget cuts to walking and cycling infrastructure, a group of young walkers and cyclists tied their feet together and hobbled to meet the Minister.

Green Party Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons personally challenged the Minister, saying his action was the "ultimate in hypocrisy." The Minister replied that the cuts were about "restoring balance."

"The Minister, and the media, have got everyone debating whether the petrol tax should be paid regionally or nationally, when the real issue is the sleight of hand that rips $420 million out of other transport needs in order to build more roads,” Ms Fitzsimons said.

"Public transport, rail freight, coastal shipping, road safety policing, and road maintenance will all suffer cuts so that new roads can be built to encourage more cars, more fuel use, more carbon emissions, more crashes, and a bigger balance of payments deficit.”

New road construction is highly capital intensive, creating few additional jobs at a time when New Zealand needs them most, Ms Fitzsimons added. A United Nations study shows that, by comparison, investments in other forms of transport offer significant direct employment gains and major secondary employment effects.

"The Minister of Transport might at least have had the grace to stay away from an event celebrating walking to work after slashing their funding."


United Nations Study: Towards a Green Economy: A Global Green New Deal (pdf 1.42MB)