Was New Zealand ready for the ease out of total lockdown and into lighter level three restrictions?
The Green Party is worried Government moves to speed up consenting for projects that haul New Zealand out of a post-pandemic slowdown will restrict public involvement.
The Covid-19 Recovery (Fast Track Consenting) Bill is being drafted, and could be passed by the end of June.
The bill would allow theEnvironment Minister to apply a quicker consenting process to chosen projects - such as replacing Whanganui's Dublin St Bridge.
The bridge replacement is one of 12 projects Whanganui District Council put forward for funding as the Government looks to provide jobs and an economic boost after the pandemic lockdown.
Whanganui's "shovel-ready" projects totalled $260 million. They included a new taxiway for the airport, a roof for the velodrome, the replacement of two bridges, work at the port and less "sexy" work on Springvale roading and drainage.
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall said replacing the Dublin St Bridge was no higher priority than the other projects - and putting them all forward has been a huge effort.
Whanganui's Dublin St Bridge is subject to traffic jams. Photo / Bevan Conley
"This week has been one of the most extraordinary weeks I have had in my time, because we have been working so very, very hard to get government money," he said.
The council wouldn't get all of what it asked for, he said, but anything would help.
Replacing the Dublin St Bridge is in the council's 2018-28 10-Year Plan. A lot of scoping work has been done on it, and it will need a significant subsidy from the New Zealand Transport Agency.
That is seeming more possible.
"It wasn't even in cooee in previous regimes. In the last two years many more of these projects are being funded. The culvert on Airport Rd is a good example," McDouall said.
The Dublin St Bridge was built in 1914 and has weight and height limits. Most trucks cannot use it, and it carries an estimated 10,000 vehicles a day.
It needs regular resurfacing, and is inspected for wear and tear by a drone.
The replacement will cost at least $33.3 million.
Truckies have got used to avoiding it, Dave Hoskin Carriers manager Darrell Hoskin said.
Most heavy industry is on the south side of Whanganui, and they use the Cobham or Whanganui Town bridges instead.
The roundabouts on either side of the Dublin St Bridge are not suitable for modern trucks of 55 tonnes.
However a saving of up to 6km could be possible if trucks could use the bridge.
"Any saving is a saving, and that would help some transport operators," Hoskin said.
The Green Party worked with Environment Minister David Parker to draft the bill that could fast-track the bridge consent, Greens environment spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said.
The Greens want the bill to consent projects that are good for the environment as well as for the economy.
They strengthened environmental safeguards, improved involvement of iwi in decision making, made sure the public had a say through the select committee process, widened criteria to be considered and strengthened the influence of regional and district plans and national policies.
They also shortened the life of the bill from three years to two years.
The result has been given a cautious approval by the Environmental Defence Society.
Still, Sage said, the Green Party would be watching the bill through the select committee to see what the public has to say. It will review its position in the light of any changes.
