Headline: National U-turn now has rail link on track
Today’s revelation that National will support the Auckland City Rail Link is a stunning U-turn that is completely at odds with everything National has said on the subject in the last five years, says Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford.
“The National government has to be the first in history to do a U- turn on a train.
“Labour has supported the rail link, offering a partnership between Auckland Council and Central Government to fund it. The Government back-down is a win for Labour, for Mayor Len Brown and for Aucklanders.
“Gerry Brownlee’s admission in Parliament today that the rail link is a ‘no brainer’ must seriously stick in his craw given his vehement opposition in the past, and his recent description of the rail link as a ‘short little loop’ that was neither popular nor useful.
“The losers today are National Ministers Gerry Brownlee and Steven Joyce. These two ministers have been made to look complete fools by their own government.
“National’s hypocrisy on this is breath-taking. It has been hell bent on pursuing public private partnerships, borrowing and putting up road user charges to fund its holiday highways, yet until today, has refused to see this as a rational long-term solution.”
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