Brownlee gives rural New Zealand a one-fingered salute

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee has told provincial ratepayers they should meet the cost of Government funding cuts for the maintenance of local roads, says Labour’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford.

Phil Twyford said Mr Brownlee told the select committee today, when asked about the impact of cuts in Southland, that the Southland District Council should raise more from rates given the high number of dairy conversions and rising land values.

“Mr Brownlee has effectively given rural New Zealand a one-fingered salute by denying that there is any kind of problem with the cuts to local road maintenance.

“Almost every mayor in provincial New Zealand has spoken out about this problem. Lawrence Yule of Local Government NZ says many councils are reducing road budgets because of the Government cuts. Even Geoff Dangerfield of NZTA has acknowledged that in some cases road maintenance will be cut.

“Southland, like all councils, has relied on a 50-50 partnership with central government to fund the repair of local roads,” Phil Twyford said. “The Government is cutting back, and the council either has to get the ratepayer to pay more or cut back on maintenance.

“Everyone but Mr Brownlee acknowledges that local roads are being neglected because the Government is pouring so much money into the Roads of National Significance.

“National has made a 2.3 per cent increase to funding for local road maintenance. But in the face of inflation, and steeply rising costs for bitumen, this is a substantial real cut. All over New Zealand councils are cutting sometimes millions of dollars from their roading budgets.

“I asked Mr Brownlee whether he had asked for any work to be done quantifying the cost of the reduction in maintenance of local roads. The answer was no, which is worrying because the Government is delaying road maintenance to pay for its gold-plated motorway projects.

“They are just pushing the cost of repairing local roads to the next generation. It is irresponsible,” Phil Twyford said.