Transparency needed from Auckland Transport

Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson is calling on Auckland Transport to publicly explain the circumstances surrounding today’s revelation that the Serious Fraud Office is investigating allegations of corruption in its road maintenance operation.

“Auckland Transport should front up and explain to the ratepayers what is going on here,” Phil Twyford said.

“It is not good enough to hide behind the Serious Fraud Office investigation.

“Auckland Transport spends about half of Aucklanders’ rates. The suggestion there has been corruption in the awarding of roading maintenance contracts is disturbing, given the agency spends hundreds of millions of dollars every year on behalf of ratepayers and taxpayers.

“I want Auckland Transport to provide the public with a more comprehensive briefing, including an account of how extensive the alleged wrongdoing is, what departments are affected, and how much money is involved.

“The public deserves to know how long the alleged offending has been going on, and what has been disclosed to the board of Auckland Transport and to the Auckland Council.

“Presumably there are private companies now being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. The public should be told who they are.

“None of this needs to cut across the investigation by the Serious Fraud Office, but there is a basic level of accountability and transparency that Auckland Transport needs to meet, given it is the steward of large amounts of public money.”

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