INL Digital Edition August 1, 2020

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02 AUGUST 1, 2020 Homelink Collins puts forth ambitious $31 billion infrastructure plan Jo Moir An eye-watering $31 billion is the price tag that the National Party has put on the infrastructure upgrade required to fix the country’s transport network and Auckland and upper North Island’s congestion crisis. In her first big policy announcement on July 17, 2020, National Leader Judith Collins delivered the opposition’s infrastructure plan - a policy that former leader Todd Muller was meant to make before quitting on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Collins has also announced that a National government would repeal the Resource Management Act (RMA) completely, and replace it with two new pieces of law. Massive investment Upper North More than half of the money announced by Collins today ($17 billion) would be invested in the Upper North, which Collins says is home to half of all New Zealanders. To fix the congestion issues, Collins has announced “National would go ahead with everything Labour has said it will do in transport” - with the exception of Transport Minister Phil Twyford’s “light-rail Ghost Trains, and the probable exception of the $360 million Skypath 2.” She said that National would also go much further, with some work beginning immediately and the larger projects rolled out over the next decade. One of the most ambitious projects announced is four-lane expressways, including tunnels under the Brynderwyn and Kaimai mountain ranges, National Party Leader Judith Collins (RNZ Picture by Simon Rogers) to connect Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga. Definition of City “National’s vision is to transform the four cities to be one economic powerhouse, unlocking their potential so the upper North Island becomes Australasia’s most dynamic region,’’ Collins said. Also a part of the announcement is Auckland’s rapid transit network, including rail to the airport and new busways. “One rough definition of a city is that it is a place you can get from one side to the other in an hour, or a place that the average time to get to work is 30 minutes. National will measure our progress against the goals of 30 minutes to get to work and one hour to get across the city,’’ Collins said. An additional harbour crossing has also been announced - Collins said planning work would begin immediately with spades in the ground by 2028. “National’s Plan is that the crossing should be a tunnel or tunnels, and be for both road and rail, and new public transport technologies that come online,’’ she said. Other plans included expanding the ferry network in Auckland and new walking and cycling links as well as expanded park-and-ride facilities. Digger-Ready Projects In addition to the larger long-term projects, $300 million worth of “digger-ready” projects across the country in 2021 would fix potholes, roundabouts and crash corners. Collins said the $17 billion for Auckland and the upper North Island, and the $14 billion for “soon-to-beannounced projects in the southern half of the country” would be paid for out of the current government’s Covid fund. At this year’s Budget, Finance Minister Grant Robertson set aside $20 billion of untagged funding for Covid-related recovery projects. “New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) will also be allowed to better leverage its balance sheet by borrowing up to $1 billion a year, and there will be tolls on the new Brynderwyn, Waitemata and Kaimai tunnels,’’ Collins said. Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop said Aucklanders would also benefit from National’s repealing of the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax within its first 100 days in office. That would put $150 million in savings per year into Aucklanders’ back pockets. “We will not increase fuel tax or road user charges in our first term,’’ he said. RMA repeal Collins said that previous governments have tinkered with the RMA with amendments, and that is a “mistake.’’ She plans not to reform it, but repeal it altogether. “We will replace it with two new pieces of law: an Environment Standards Act, setting our environmental bottom lines; and an Urban Planning and Development Act, giving clarity and consistency. We will begin this work in our first 100 days. “We will introduce new legislation by the end of next year,’’ she said. That process will however be too slow for the projects that she has announced in her infrastructure policy today. The RMA fast-track legislation passed in response to Covid-19 provides a useful interim framework, but is too limited, she said. “National will make far more extensive use of the fast-track Act. New Zealand is facing an extraordinary jobs and economic crisis; and it demands a proportional response. We simply cannot let the RMA stand in the way of urgently needed infrastructure development,’’ she said. The following is from another report by Jo Moir: Former Leader Simon Bridges did not vote for Collins. “I will make no secret of the fact that I voted for Mark Mitchell. He is someone I have got a high regard for who was there close to me when I was Leader of the National Party. But now, we have got Judith and I think that she is going to do a really good job,” he said. Collins told Morning Report that she is not fussed at the admission, saying that she also publicly said that she voted for Muller as Leader. She said that it is a free vote with no ramifications, as evidenced by Bridges high ranking in the party reshuffle announced on July 16, 2020. “I think that he is very happy with me as Leader,” she said. Jo Moir is a Political Reporter at Radio New Zealand. The above Report and Picture have been published under a Special Arrangement with www.rnz.co.nz Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi National List MPbased in Manukau East Contact A P F E 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland 09 278 9302 09 278 2143 bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz facebook.com/bakshiks @bakshiks bakshi.co.nz Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP, 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe.
AUGUST 1, 2020 Homelink Action Plan to rescue Auckland from Covid-19 impact Phil Goff The impact of Covid-19 on our City has been dramatic, with the full economic effects still to be felt. The good news is that, by working together, we stopped the community spread of the virus, saving potentially thousands of lives and preventing our hospitals from being overwhelmed. However, the economic cost of the virus, causing the lockdown and worldwide recession, is high, not least the effect on Auckland Council’s finances. Emergency Budget Council income has been slashed by nearly $500 million, meaning that we need to dramatically cut our expenditure. That is why the Council has had to pass an Emergency Budget. Since the budget went out for public consultation; on top of that we have also had to find a further $224 million to pay for new infrastructure to increase water supply. After this year’s worst-ever drought, the Met Service forecast is for a drier spring and summer, with the risk of severe water restrictions. Few in Auckland would question the need to make this If Auckland succeeds, rest of New Zealand will prosper (Auckland Council Picture) investment, so the money has to be found. The Emergency Budget is the most challenging budget Auckland Council has ever faced. We have had to balance the need to cut spending with the need to protect the vital services we provide for Aucklanders and keep as much as we can the investment we need to make in infrastructure to match future population growth. We cannot just borrow to pay for all of this. If we do not manage our finances prudently, we risk losing our credit rating, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in higher interest rates and putting the debt unfairly on future generations. Curtailing expenditure The first thing we did was to cut our spending. Staffing has already been cut, with over 600 temporary and contract workers going. Another 500 permanent jobs will also be lost. Any non-essential services have had to be cut back. The Council must become a smaller and leaner organisation that does more with less. Council spending has been cut by more than $200 million. Secondly, we will sell surplus property to the value of around $220 million and use that capital to avoid cutting infrastructure projects. There is no better time than a recession to spend money on building for the future, while stimulating economic recovery and creating new jobs in the construction industry. Infrastructure investment By careful management of our budget, we will invest this year over $2.2 billion in new infrastructure, more than the average of $1.6 billion spent annually over the past five years. And while some services have had to be trimmed back, we will continue to provide critical and valuable council services like public transport, libraries and community facilities, parks and playgrounds, and waste and recycling services. The loss of nearly $500 million in income is the equivalent of a rates cut of around 28%. As a result, we will need to leave in place an average general rates rise of 3.5%, as originally announced. While we would have liked to cut that, the cost in terms of lost services and infrastructure was too great. Rates increase The difference between a 2.5% and a 3.5% rates increase for the owner of a $1 million property paying the average general rate is around 47 cents a week more for the higher rate. The lower rate would, however, have slashed spending by another $17 million and cut our investment in infrastructure by $60 million. Instead of a general ● First Home ● Investment Property ● Residential or Commercial ● Building / Extending / Renovating ● Re-Finance/ Restructure ● Buying an Apartment ● Low Deposit ● Self Employed ● Business Loan ● Property Development For all your home loan and insurance needs talk to us... Rakesh Bansal Era Bansal Manisha Kumar Jatinder Singh 021 030 8135 021 066 7598 021 154 4327 info@kiwimortgages.net.nz era@kiwimortgages.net.nz Jatinder@kiwimortgages.net.nz Ex-Banker for years Ex-Banker for years Toll Free: 0508 33 22 11 M:021 030 8135 09 903 3602 116b,Cavendish Drive, Manukau City E:info@kiwimortgages.net.nz | w:www.kiwimortgages.net.nz 03 rates cut, we have targeted support to those facing real hardship because of Covid-19, putting aside $50 million to allow postponement of rates without penalty. It was a tough budget to put together, but in the end all 21 local boards and the overwhelming majority of Councillors came together to agree on a budget that best serves the people of Auckland, now and for the future. Phil Goff is Mayor of Auckland. He writes a regular column in Indian Newslink Contact us for FREE consultation Are you looking to Buy or Sell a Business? NewZealand Immigration Specialists with 30 years of experience Shaun Khanna has a business, sales and marketing experience of more than 25 years and is a specialist in selling businesses such as Service Stations, Lotto Stores, Dairies, Supermarkets and Liquor Stores. He also has vast exposure in the hospitality sector. Shaun has sold many businesses and has helped hundreds of buyers and sellers of petrol stations and convenience stores throughout New Zealand. Shaun understands both sides of the transaction from the perspective of both the buyer and the seller as he is a former successful business owner as he had owned and successfully run a big BP Service Station & thoroughly understands how it works. Shaun offers the degree of professional service that effectively brings business buyers and sellers together to experience successful and desirable outcomes. Shaun has a nationwide network of contacts and a track record of success, receiving many referrals from satisfied buyers and sellers. For a confidential, no obligation discussion about the sale of your business please give me a call on 029 770 9767 or send an email to shaunk@abcbusiness.co.nz Shaun Khanna 029 770 9767 shaunk@abcbusiness.co.nz Competent, proven immigration service since 1988 ●Serving the immigrant community since 1988 ●Upfront in-depth appraisal. We accept only cases which are highly likely to be successful ●Telephone enquiries /obligation free advice ●Network of professional subject matter experts, such as Commercial Lawyers, Accountants and Business Consultants to work on Business Visa applications ●Strong portfolio of successful applications ●Strong New Zealand community connections ●Skilled Migration ●Family Migration ●Business Visa ●Special Direction Applications ●Appeal to IPT, CFP (Client Complaints to INZ), S.61 and Ministerial Requests for consideration Call us now for afree initial appraisal of your immigration application (Appointment essential for personal consultations) 2017 SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP 2017 MOST DYNAMIC HI-VIZ VIDEO LISTER 2015/2016 LISTER OF THE YEAR 2014 SALESPERSON OF THE YEAR RUNNER-UP 2013 RISING STAR Principal: Harjeet SGolian B.A. (Aust) LL.B (NZ) Licenced Immigration Adviser -Member NZAMI -since 1993 029 770 9767 www.businessesforsale.co.nz Licensed REAA 2008 Level 1, 3Campbell Road, Royal Oak, Auckland Phone: (09) 6241204 Mobile: 021 624120 E: golian@golian.co.nz W: www.golian.co.nz
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