Some more debate over the merits of the Puhoi-Wellsford “holiday highway” in parliament today, this time with Associate Transport Minister Simon Bridges answering questions from the Greens’ Julie-Anne Genter:
You can read the transcript of the exchange here.
It’s refreshing to see someone actually try to answer the questions, rather than just throw abuse around, like Brownlee often does. It was also interesting to see that the government is really relying on “non-economic benefits” to justify the road, or as Simon Bridges stated:
Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I have already intimated we are progressing, I think, reasonably well on this road of national significance, and the member, I think, mentions the benefits. Of course, there are economic benefits, but there are also much wider benefits in terms of connecting communities to communities, and with education, health, and so on. I think the people of the north deserve and want this road of national significance.
I really do wonder whether building a new road to save 10 minutes off the trip between Warkworth and Auckland (the section north of Warkworth is less certain in terms of whether it goes ahead) at the cost of $1.7 billion is the best way to connect communities in Northland and to improve health and education in the north. Or perhaps could spending a fraction of the amount of actual health and education programmes and improving Northland’s roads better achieve these benefits?
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So the Associate Minister of Transport hasn’t heard of Operation Lifesaver. Unbelievable.
For his benefit: http://greaterakl.wpengine.com/2011/11/02/looking-closer-at-operation-lifesaver/
Yes, every year that the existing road remains unimproved the health and education of a shocking number of New Zealanders gets improved to death…. and remember the diversion of funds to the Holiday Highway and the toll barrier that will deter many from using it will mean that this murderous road will keep on killing its users long into the future….. vote National.
Wow they really are scraping the barrel in coming up with justification for the project.
The oil barrel that is.
Last week it took me 16 minutes to drive from Warkworth to Puhoi
Trip details Warkworth (middle set of lights) to Puhoi (entering tunnels) pouring rain, heaving oncoming traffic, dark.
Car 1.3 L 1994 Toyota Corolla 16 minutes between 1802 to 1818.
Doing it in 6 minutes will be great – but what would the average speed need to be?
Based on 12km ( which I measure it as the crow flies ) I would need to do 120Km /Hour!!
Good example of the project’s educational benefits there.
Instead, how about spending $30 million per year for the next 75 years on:
1. Walkways along existing highways where pedestrian connections are absent, e.g. the Auckland Harbour Bridge?
2. Reinstating the tertiary education training allowance that allowed single parents to upskill while raising children?
3. Improving access to primary healthcare and medical treatments for disadvantaged communities?
These policies would do a better job than this ludicrous holiday highway at achieving the outcomes Bridge’s espouses. Someone should play Simon the Pixies’ song: Where is my mind?
Grasping. At. Straws.
Too bad they have a lot of straw to make hay, because for some strange reason, the public still doesn’t care about this wastage of money.
The project generally gets the thumbs down in public opinion polls about it. Problem is that people don’t choose who to vote for on transport issues, generally.
Until people who normally would vote for National start voting for someone else, because of their transport policy, we’ll continue to see this rubbish happening.
Simon Bridges. No chance defending transport spending by the current idiots called the “National and loony Act parties”. The Nats truly are idiots by first world standards.
Health? Education? What a load of codswallop. The biggest contribution they could make to health would be to implement Project Lifesaver immediately. Grasping at straws doesn’t even come close.
“It’s refreshing to see someone actually try to answer the questions, rather than just throw abuse around, like Brownlee often does”
I think Julie Anne Genter’s debates with the new transport minister will be a lot more mature and respectful from now on, even if the government policy is the same.
I also hope that left-leaning transport advocates show the new minister more respect, instead of ostracizing themselves through frequent public attacks on the person they want to listen to them.
A fresh start, with fresh opportunity for developing conductive relationships. Let’s hope it’s not wasted.
According to my point of view, our health depends upon our self-care. If we cannot care about our self it will badly effect on our self. I think we should take some useful habits such as walking, running, and most important maintaining diet. Through this way, we can improve our health.
I am totally agreed with all comments above. Cities should be convenient for its citizens, maybe it would be better to build more bike paths. Our health is our everything, so we need take a good care of our body and soul, treat it good.