National has spent nearly three years neglecting the South Island. Now with an election looming, it’s frantically dusting off some old promises and passing them off as progress.
“Everything National announced today should already be underway. Instead, South Islanders have had delay after delay, downgrade after downgrade, and a Government that has treated the South Island as an afterthought,” Labour campaign chair Kieran McAnulty said.
“After ignoring the South Island for most of this term, it's like they suddenly remembered it exists and dipped behind the back of the sofa to see what promises they could dust off.
“National's record speaks for itself: critical transport projects stalled, botched ferries, Nelson and Dunedin hospitals bungled, and infrastructure plans repeatedly pushed further into the future while costs climb.
“South Islanders don't need another glossy announcement. They need spades in the ground and a Labour Government that delivers.
“Labour will take the politics out of infrastructure decisions and make sure the South Island gets the investment it deserves, not a last-minute burst of promises when an election is around the corner.
“South Islanders deserve better than a Government that only remembers them when it needs their votes,” Kieran McAnulty said.
