New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out at National's offer this week of a $230 million interest-free loan for new infrastructure in Tauranga.
Mr Peters made the comments at a public meeting at the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club this afternoon ahead of the general election 10 weeks away.
"The monumental mess National has made in Auckland has spilled over into Tauranga.
There are major infrastructure problems here.
"National has pulled the $230 million interest-free loan out of their box of tricks.
"It looks as though your council will be lumbered with a massive debt as a result.
All because of the Auckland disaster."
Mr Peters listed his and the party's achievements, including getting two toll-free harbour bridges built and increasing capital investment in modern school's infrastructure by 28 per cent.
"New Zealand First is proud of our long association with Tauranga and what we have achieved here," Mr Peters said.
Mr Peters promised the party would help the city again and raised questions about the local infrastructure.
"You have to ask yourselves here why there are three toll roads in New Zealand and you have two of them.
"There are no toll roads in Christchurch, no toll road in Wellington. The toll road in Auckland is when you get out of Auckland. So why have you been lumbered with toll roads and the rest of the country has not? There are no tolls on the Waterview tunnel in Auckland just opened or the new Kapiti expressway.
"New Zealand First's record, or more particularly my record, was to arrive in Tauranga when there was no harbour bridge and to see two built before I left, both toll-free.
"I gave you the second harbour bridge, politically speaking, even after you didn't vote for me."
Mr Peters and his party has strong support in Tauranga after he represented the city as an MP from 1984 to 2005.
"When I came to Tauranga in 1984 the Kaimai's was a metal road and there were no harbour bridges.
"When I left, the Kaimai's had been tar-sealed, the second harbour bridge was being built and we had more motorways than half the alphabet. And much more."
Mr Peters also referred to a New Zealand First policy called Royalties for the Regions. Under the policy, no less than 25 per cent of the royalties from water exports will go back to the regions.