The Labour Party love slogans, and they love announcements even more…or even announcements of announcements. But the one thing they can’t do is to actually deliver on anything.
They have tits for hands. Now it has been revealed that they’ve blown $35 million on the light rail project but haven’t even managed to lay one millimetre of track:
Tens of millions of dollars have been spent on Auckland light rail since Labour came to power, despite there being no shovels in the ground to build it.
Information released by Waka Kotahi-NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) shows $34.8 million has been spent since October 2017 on business cases, project management, legal costs, office space and equipment, and Ministry of Transport funding.
And despite those tens of millions of dollars going into the project, Labour announced in March plans to start from scratch, with a new six-month consultation process launched by Transport Minister Michael Wood.
NZ Herald
Jacinda Ardern promised light rail to Mt Roskill within four years in July 2017. They have a month and a half to deliver it.
What is even more hilarious was the then candidate Michael Wood enthusiastically heralding the same:
I’m utterly thrilled about Labour’s commitment today to bring modern Light Rail to Mt Roskill.
Labour’s plan will see modern light rail from Wynyard corner, through the CBD, and down Dominion Rd to Mt Roskill. We’ve committed to funding fifty percent of the capital cost, in partnership with Auckland Council. You can read more details about the policy announcement here.
This is an issue that I have been campaigning on for years. I live at the far end of Dominion Rd, so congestion is a daily part of my life, like it is for so many other people in Mt Roskill. I often use the 267 or 277 bus to get into town, and while it’s usually a good service, it is at capacity. At peak times buses are full. Outside of bus-lane hours, buses are stuck in the same traffic, and Symonds St is only a couple of years away from clogging up with buses.
Michael Wood campaign site
I’ll bet Michael Wood the candidate is bitterly disappointed in the performance of Michael Wood the minister of transport. BTW, the link to the policy announcement has been deleted from the Labour party site.
This government’s inability to deliver anything other than monumental cock-ups shows that, even after nine years in opposition, they were quite simply unfit for government. Three years in government hasn’t improved matters.
Two more years of abject failure and voters won’t believe a word they say when they deliver the next election promises.
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