Editorial: This miserly sum won't do

Infrastructure Auckland gives every impression that it is about to fail the people of Auckland. Its likely allocation of only between $29.8 million and $35.2 million to the Britomart transport centre would jeopardise a project pivotal to the city's orderly development. It might just as well give nothing.

So severe is the shortfall from the $91.5 million sought by the Auckland City Council that no amount of tinkering around the edges of the project would suffice. The only saving grace from yesterday's developments is that Infrastructure Auckland has been persuaded by the council to take a week to reflect and, hopefully, see the sense of fully supporting Britomart.

Such is the transport hub's importance in the development of an efficient and convenient public transport system that there can be no attempt to scale it back. The price tag of $249.5 million must be accepted. But if Infrastructure Auckland remains miserly and short-sighted, the city council has an option. Its trump card is a 25.8 per cent shareholding in Auckland International Airport.

Those shares have a market value of almost $380 million. Their strategic value means that, sold to one buyer, they would potentially fetch much more. The total would fund not only Britomart - with or without money from Infrastructure Auckland - but contribute towards a much-needed convention centre at the The Edge and improvements to stormwater.

Such is the gridlock in Auckland that the grumbles that usually accompany asset sales would surely be muted. Britomart is of such long-term significance that there could be no suggestion of the council frittering away the share proceeds.

Aucklanders see the logic in a transport centre which will efficiently funnel commuters to and from bus, ferry and rail services. They want work on Britomart started as soon as possible. All they have got so far from Infrastructure Auckland is quibbling, procrastination and niggardliness - more, in fact, of what consigned the city to its present state. Infrastructure Auckland has a week to remove the blinkers from its eyes. Otherwise, the city council must pick up the Britomart baton.

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