National Party leader Simon Bridges says Government's policies are making Hawke's Bay a 'net loser'

From left, Napier National Party deputy chair Ben Simmons, Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule, National leader Simon Bridges and Napier National Party chairman Wayne Walford in Napier. Photo / Duncan Brown

The scrapping of the mooted four-lane Hawke's Bay highway is threatening to turn the region into a "net loser" and with locals facing petrol tax hikes too, National Party leader Simon Bridges says the region should be worried about what comes next.

Speaking to Hawke's Bay Today during a visit to the region, Mr Bridges said the Government's decision to stop oil and gas production in Taranaki, just days after revealing a myriad of regional development projects there, combined with a new regional fuel tax, meant people in Hawke's Bay should be worried about what was coming next.

"There's a real sense of that. What you have seen with this Regional Development Growth Fund is it being used to compensate for really bad policies. Take Taranaki: losing a $2.5 billion sector and having that replaced with a refurbished church doesn't cut it.

"Here, I have the same fear, a refurbished aquarium will be good but it is not going to deliver the jobs and the growth that you get from a four-lane highway. My fear is that this region is going to be a net loser, it's getting the crumbs while Auckland's getting the meatloaf.

"There's strong question marks around regional development clearly. People want to get their hands on Shane Jones' slush fund but my point has been that it's all very well having a sprinkle of dollars here, there and everywhere but it's not going to compensate for the hard infrastructure and the good policy setting you require - and what I mean by that is a four-land highway between Napier and Hastings."

Given the expected expansion of Napier Port, and the increase in apple production, that project would have had a "transformational effect" for the region, he said.

Changes to overseas investment rules would mean investments made by overseas winery owners would "dry up" under the coalition Government.

"There is clear feedback that people here don't like the petrol tax. I've made clear to them that the opposition fear is that's goings to be more for less - locals paying more to fund a tram in Auckland rather than the projects here."

Claims from Transport Minister Julie-Anne Genter that the regional fuel tax was intended to roll back previous cuts to regional roads were "plain wrong".

"What they are also doing is what they call safety work, but be very clear, a couple of median barriers and some rumble strips here or there won't cut it. If you really want safety, real productivity and better travelling what you really need are first-class highways. Like we see in Australia, Europe and the US.''

Bridges' visit included time with 36 student leaders and school principals in Tukituki, as well as time with leading apple orchardists to discuss the picking shortage.

For the most part those issues were in the hands of the Government to affect "for good or for bad", he said.

First and foremost, there was " a real fear" around the changes in labour laws and from the apple sector there was a strong worry that apples would be left on the trees because there are not enough workers.

"They gave me the clear message that there is a need for 2000 more and an increase in RSE workers.

"In general terms, Hawke's Bay is in fine fettle, it's very strong. People and businesses are going very well - there is a prosperous feel. That said, there are definitely some issue, some headwind there on the horizon that people are worried about."

Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule reiterated that under the Government's new draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS), Hawke's Bay would lose any possibility of a proposed four-lane highway, previously backed by Hastings and Napier mayors.

"That was a $300 million road and while we might pick up, over a 10-year period, $50m for roading and for the privilege our people have to pay an extra 12c a litre for their fuel. It doesn't compute and we are the net losers, and I'm pretty grumpy about that."