The spitefulness of Auckland Transport towards Mike Lee

The corrupt and bribery wrecked Auckland Transport area spiteful lot.

Mike Lee has been one of Auckland’s most decent sons. He has championed environmental change, public transport and restoration.

One of his passions has been the upgrade and restoration of the Parnell Train Station…

Good things in politics never come easy and unfortunately the converse also is true. Nothing illustrates this maxim better than the protracted saga of the Parnell Station. First proposed by ARTA transport planners in 2005 it suddenly assumed political sensitivity with plans to build a major new station at Newmarket. Ontrack and ARTA (predecessors of KiwiRail and Auckland Transport) argued they first needed to demolish the splendid old Newmarket station building. Auckland Regional Councillors objected to that. Built in 1908 and designed by the architect George Troup (known as ‘Ginger Bread’ Troup who designed the famous Dunedin Station). It was only one of five historic station buildings still on site on the Auckland commuter network. In other words it was a heritage building. So we opposed its demolition and sought ways to integrate it into the new station complex. Early in 2006 I received a series of briefings on the Newmarket project from the CEO of Ontrack, William Peet. The problem with keeping the old station building in situ as he explained, was the lack of room for the extra track (three tracks instead of two) needed to enhance network resilience. The adjacent former rail land had been short-sightedly privatised only a few years before.

Early in March 2006, as the chairman of the ARC, I attended Parliament’s select committee on Transport & Labour Relations dealing with a petition from Campaign for Better Transport calling for restoration of rail services to Onehunga. I had earlier presented the petition on behalf of CBT to the local Onehunga MP and former transport minister Mark Gosche who chaired the select committee. Mark was supportive of reopening the Onehunga Line and it was his idea to hold hearings on the issue. I presented along with the chairs of Ontrack and the chair of ARTA; the three of us side-by-side. The only trouble was my submission, which strongly supported restoring Onehunga services was at odds with those of my two colleagues. I even had to (politely) correct my colleagues during questioning. This rather bemused the MPs. At that point the chair of ARTA (Brian Roche now CEO of NZ Post), living up to his reputation as a problem-fixer suggested that the three chairs ‘go away and talk about it.’ This we did.

The discussions were held in the splendid art deco boardroom of the Wellington Railway Station. There William Peet made a proposal. Ontrack would recommission the Onehunga Branch Line provided the ARC lifted its objections to the removal of the Newmarket station building. I agreed but added a condition that the station building be preserved and relocated to a suitable nearby site i.e. the historic Waipapa Valley in Parnell.

…so Mike, who has championed this upgrade and restoration for over 10 bloody years would have been feeling pretty special about the next event to celebrate the opening.

Except that he hasn’t even been invited to speak at the event…

Sure, Phil gOFF, THE mayor who removed Mike Lee from providing oversight to the incredibly corrupt Auckland transport will speak, but Mike Lee, the bloke who has championed this restoration for over a decade won’t.

What arseholes these Auckland Transport people are.

The Public Transport Users Association hasn’t even been invited (bets on Transport Blog have been invited).

Auckland Transport are corrupt, out of control monster that our Mayor seems more interested in appeasing than challenging.

Not inviting Mike Lee to speak, the man who fought to get this piece of our history saved, is a disgraceful and spiteful move by Auckland Transport.