Brian Rudman: Nightmares return as MP travels same old road

Has anyone reminded veteran National MP Maurice Williamson there's an election campaign on? And that if he wants to get back in a ministerial limousine, he should be cosying up to voters, not scaring us off?

In the past two days he's done a great imitation of someone happy to see out his twilight years as the Opposition member for Pakuranga. On Monday came his pledge to conduct "a serious review" of the "Kiwi Share" which, among other things, guarantees free local telephone calls.


Then yesterday he promised, as spokesman for transport, that a new National Government would resurrect the eastern highway, driving it through the waterfront within 10 years, with another harbour crossing and all the other roading projects the pro-roads lobby have been advocating for years.

Mr Williamson later issued an explanatory statement insisting that while he still favoured a review, free local calling would not be dropped under National.

But he seems deadly serious about the eastern highway, even though it was the kiss of death for his old Cabinet colleague John Banks who had made it the make or break issue of his bid for re-election at last October's Auckland mayoral election. Not only did the highway bring down Mr Banks, it also nearly ended the long reign of Manukau Mayor, Sir Barry Curtis.

Why Mr Williamson thinks Aucklanders will find his advocacy of this lost cause any more palatable and convincing than the campaigning of old stagers ex-Mayor Banks and Mayor Curtis, I can't imagine. Even Mr Banks recently said trying to breathe new life into the highway would be like "bouncing dead cats".

Yet Mr Williamson argues that because Mr Banks lost as many votes "where the eastern corridor wasn't able to be seen or heard", the highway wasn't the only issue counting against Mr Banks.

What the MP doesn't seem to appreciate is that opposition to the highway was widespread across the city, and not just an issue for those whose houses lay in its path. People like me, for example, who live on the other side of the city but were aghast at the devastation the road-rail corridor would inflict on the city's front door.

People like me, who can't see the disgorging of tens of thousands of extra cars from Mr Williamson's electorate into the city centre as the answer to anything.

His sloganeering is scary. He sees building the highway as a salutary lesson to opponents and potential dissidents. "Anybody who has built or bought in that corridor for the last 50 years has known that's what the land was designated for and if we let the not-in-my-backyard syndrome prevail, Auckland will never build any more motorways."

For good measure he's threatening Big Brother legislation to overcome local objections. I can see that going down well in harbour-front National strongholds such as Tamaki and Epsom, where the anti-highway mood is strong.

Mr Williamson brushes aside the $9 billion cost of his promised roads spend-up, predicting that private sector investment would become "the norm" for major projects, particularly a harbour tunnel or second bridge. Which might be fine in theory, but when the sums were done three years ago, Auckland and Manukau city advisers warned that tolls would raise at most just $100 million, which would finance just one miserable lane in each direction.

Mr Williamson says those on the path of the highway have had 50 years to get used to the idea. But much of the actual route has never been designated - or finalised. When the fever for the Banks-Curtis highway was at its peak, 1200 or more households had to put their lives on hold while the politicians argued.

Following the rejection of highway supporters at last October's local elections, an alternative "eastern transport initiative" has been agreed to, which marries improved local roading with enhanced public transport.

Mr Williamson's pledge to revive the old monster triggers uncertainty and the sleepless nights for those 1200 households. He says land south of his electorate beyond Botany Downs is being developed for housing and residents must have routes into the civilised part of Auckland.

If that's the case, then give them a civilised way of getting here: an electrified train service.