Politics puts projects on ice - Bridges
Political point-scoring by the Labour-led Government has created ‘‘uncertainty’’ in Marlborough, says the leader of the opposition.
National Party leader Simon Bridges said he believed the coalition Government was pulling projects simply because they were proposed by National.
A plan to co-locate Blenheim’s secondary colleges was now under review, and a new bridge to replace the notoriously narrow O¯ paoa Bridge, in Blenheim, now depended on funding approval.
Government funding for the Flaxbourne Irrigation Scheme was pulled altogether two weeks ago.
Bridges said he hoped the new colleges would still go ahead, but thought the new O¯ paoa Bridge would not happen.
‘‘My message to the Government would be get on with it, don’t pull out of the project just because it was National that promised it,’’ Bridges said.
‘‘This Government is trying to tell the country there’s a crisis. But they didn’t work out how they can fund things. It’s easier to delay things like the Marlborough colleges. They have other priorities, like free education for tertiary students.’’
Bridges was a guest speaker at a Marlborough Chamber of Commerce breakfast at the Clubs of Marlborough on Tuesday.
The region seemed ‘‘strong’’ and ‘‘confident’’, and there was ‘‘momentum in the local economy’’, but his visit had revealed ‘‘uncertainty’’ about the region’s future as the Government put projects on ice, he said.
The Ministry of Education revealed earlier this month new Education Minister Chris Hipkins had asked for a review of the $63m plan to co-locate Marlborough Boys’ College and Marlborough Girls’ College on a new greenfield site. The review was due to increasing costs since the project was announced three years ago, and difficulties finding the right site. All options were back on the table, including refurbishing the existing buildings, and building a coeducational college.
‘‘We promised $63m and now that’s in jeopardy. Losing that would be a tragedy for the region,’’ Bridges said.
‘‘As some teachers told me yesterday, [if the co-located colleges did not go ahead] it means students from both sides lose. The example I was given was more girls than boys want to learn French. Co-location allows the small group of boys to have the opportunity to join that class instead of missing out.’’
Bridges accepted the co-location project was delayed under National leadership. The ministry was supposed to reveal a location by the end of 2016, but was still negotiating with landowners when the 2017 election rolled around.
‘‘Now you can’t argue the fact that we were committed to doing them ... And transport projects take years from discussion to construction.
‘‘But we gave certainty. There were no question marks about them. Now they’re both under review. My best guess is that bridge won’t happen. I’d be very hopeful for the colleges. It would be poor decision-making otherwise.’’
Hipkins fired back after Bridges’ comments, saying National was ‘‘sadly trying to shift the blame’’.
‘‘They failed to make progress and wasted three years in the process, leaving this government to clear up its mess,’’ Hipkins said.
‘‘We are committed to working with the community to find an alternative solution as soon as possible, with co-location our preferred option. We intend to do better than the previous government did,’’ Hipkins said.