Northland missing out on road funds, says councillor

Northland is not getting its fair share of $73 million in roading funds from a new petrol tax imposed in April, says one councillor.

Kaipara Deputy Mayor and roading portfolio holder Richard Alspach told a Kaipara District Council meeting last week that Northland Regional Council scrutiny of Transit New Zealand's 10-year plan showed Transit could continue spending the same amount as during the past two years only by using half the petrol tax money.

Transfund officials said last year that funds from the new tax would be collected nationally and redistributed regionally on a population basis, which was expected to provide Northland with $73 million over 10 years.

The money - known as "R" funding - had to be used for improving the region's roads over and above the current programme and the Northland Regional Land Transport Committee was to determine how it was distributed within the region.

Transit and Highways North officials attended the Kaipara council meeting on Wednesday, telling councillors about their state highway achievements after the first five years' work in the 10-year plan.

The chief Transit engineer in Northland, Richard Green, declined to discuss the "R" funding issue, saying it was "pretty political".

But when Mr Alspach presented his roading portfolio report he said the apparent inclusion of "R" funding in the Transit 10-year plan indicated that, in spite of assurances to the contrary, roading funds that would have gone to Northland were being siphoned off to other areas.

"Other areas that might have more votes than we do?" he asked. "That may be cynical, but it explains why not one Northland MP of whatever persuasion has come to our defence."

Northland council representatives had discussed the "R" funding with Transport Minister Pete Hodgson last month but he had "effectively kicked for touch" until after the election, when financial assistance rates for roading were to be reviewed.

Mr Alspach said some of Mr Hodgson's reported comments led him to believe the minister had not fully understood the situation.

"I guess we have a lot of work to do after September 17," Mr Alspach said, assuring Mr Hodgson "the issue won't go away and whoever is in his office in October can expect to hear from us again".

- NZPA