Portfolio stress no excuse for bad-mouthing

Gerry Brownlee’s latest attempt to manage a portfolio in disarray – hurling verbal abuse at one of the country’s top businessmen -  is hardly the behaviour Kiwis expect from a Minister, Labour’s Transport spokesperson Phil Twyford says.

His comments come after Mainfreight managing director, Don Braid, told Radio Live he had been abused by Mr Brownlee over the phone for suggesting the Minister was ignoring his portfolio, given the future of a new Cook Strait ferry terminal was still undecided.

“Mr Braid, whose company moves more freight around New Zealand than anyone else, admits he is neutral about the location of the terminal, but is rightly frustrated about the length of time it is taking for Mr Brownlee to get a decision on what is an extremely important transport issue.

“The Minister has been so obsessed by his roads of national significance programme that he has neglected every other aspect of his portfolio, including the need to build an efficient export supply chain that links rail, road and shipping.

“That’s what’s behind Mr Braid’s frustration, and if Mr Brownlee can’t see that, then he should take his highway blinkers off.

“His transport portfolio is a shambles. KiwiRail is in disarray, provincial New Zealand is suffering budget cuts for local roads, there is growing disquiet about the billions of dollars being wasted on low-value motorway projects, and the Government is warring with Auckland over its transport plans,” said Phi Twyford.

"Memo to Gerry: Keep calm, and re-think your transport priorities.”