Promises made: Coalition talk

Who will run the country should be made clear this week by NZ First.

The decision could raise or dash the hopes of groups looking to have election promises made good by the party.

Three of those promises were immediate funding for a four-lane Penlink road, immediate funding to fix Warkworth’s Hill St intersection, and clearing the Kaipara District Council wastewater scheme debt for Mangawhai ratepayers.

At Mangawhai, Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers Association chairman Bruce Rogan and his executive think a Labour led coalition with NZ First would be the best outcome to see their promise come true.

Winston Peters said he would make it a bottomline to clear the more than $30 million debt burden.

Rogan said whatever members of the executive’s political persuasions were, a Labour led coalition was seen as the best outcome to see this happen for ratepayers.

‘‘If Winston does deal with National, I don’t think that there is the slightest possibility that anything will be done.’’

Rodney electorate candidate and NZ First MP Tracey Martin promised immediate funding for upgrades to the Hill St Intersection in Warkworth.

Fix Hill Street Now action group member Grant McLachlan said Labour list MP Marja Lubeck had also said fixing the intersection was a ‘‘no brainer’’, and Rodney MP Mark Mitchell reckoned it could be fixed within 18 months.

McLachlan was on the fence about which coalition could make it happen, and said it would be up to NZ First to deliver on its promise.

Penlink Now chairman Stephen Lyttleton couldn’t be reached to provide comment on which coalition he thought would deliver the road.

An unscientific survey on Neighbourly.co.nz on which coalition Rodney residents preferred showed the majority, 53.8 per cent, would like to see a National - NZ First coalition.

A National - Greens coalition was favoured by 15.4 per cent.

Another 15.4 per cent favoured a NZ First - Labour - Green partnership.

A National - Labour coalition was sought by 7.7 per cent, a National NZ First - ACT arrangement gained 5.1 per cent and a National - Green ACT partnership 2.6 per cent.