Govt needs to stop the war on Auckland

Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman today called on the Government to end the war on Auckland, and work with Aucklanders and the Auckland Council to improve transport in our largest city.

"This Government continues to sabotage the partnership between central government and our largest city, as witnessed most recently by the attempt to humiliate Mayor Len Brown by unilaterally taking over the waterfront without even telling the Mayor first.

"A strong partnership is what is most needed to deliver a decent transport system and a successful Rugby World Cup," said Dr Norman.

Dr Norman was responding to the Government's surprise takeover of the Auckland waterfront under special powers in the Rugby World Cup legislation.

"The Government basically planned a party in downtown Auckland, invited everyone to attend, didn't provide sufficient resources, and now is blaming the city for the chaos that ensued.

"It's common courtesy, when throwing a party at someone else's place, to work constructively with the hosts, who in this case are the people of Auckland, represented by their democratically elected council.

"The biggest irony is that the Government wants to lay the blame of the failure of public transport with Auckland, when for the better part of the decade, Auckland has been begging for greater investment in public transport.

"The public transport failure on Friday night is indicative of the failure of successive Governments, both National- and Labour-led, to make smart transport investments in Auckland.

"It is disgraceful that the Auckland rail network could not cope with 60,000 passengers, when a low density city like Perth regularly carries more than twice that number on its rail network.

"The only thing standing in the way of a smart transport system in Auckland is this Government, which is planning to spend a pitiful $25m a year for the next ten years on new public transport infrastructure. They will spend at least 50 times more, well over $1b a year, on new motorways.

"Auckland needs and wants a decent transport system. We can have it, if the Government puts politics aside and actually works with Aucklanders, instead of against them.

"It's time to call a truce in this war," said Dr Norman.