1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:01,840 Speaker 1: Heather Duplessy Island. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 2: So, as we know, the government's revealed its plans for 3 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 2: the New Northland Expressway today over the brin Durwin Hills. 4 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 2: It's tipped to be one of the country's most expensive 5 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 2: infrastructure projects, with about a dollar per ten dollars spent 6 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 2: by the government on infrastructure projects estimated to be spent 7 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 2: on it for the next couple of decades. Northland Regional 8 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 2: Council Chair Joe Carr calls us a crucial move for 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 2: the region and he's with us. 10 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: Hey, Joe, Well, good evening, Heather. 11 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: Why a crucial move. 12 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 1: Well, it's absolutely vital. 13 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 3: We've got two really scary sections of the State Highway 14 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,560 Speaker 3: between Auckland and fung Array Dome Valley and the Brindeurs 15 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:41,279 Speaker 3: and we've had it shut for periods of up to 16 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 3: four months. It comes to huge economic and disruptive costs 17 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 3: to the northern community and it comes to the cost 18 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 3: to New Zealand too. 19 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: Why the cost of New Zealand, Well, it's. 20 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 3: A huge amount of export product and international tourists are 21 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 3: interrupted that there's a lot of logging traffic that was 22 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 3: canceled that would have gone out from places like Helensville 23 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 3: out through Northport, and it's sort of a reputational cost 24 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 3: is that people aren't secure in making decisions to do 25 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 3: with holidaying and investing in Northland. So it's pretty serious stuff. 26 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 2: Now, are you okay with the possibility that it might 27 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: be a toll road? 28 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: Yes. 29 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 3: I've been on the Transport Committee, Regional Transport Committee since 30 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 3: nineteen ninety eight, mostly on and sometimes off. 31 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:42,919 Speaker 1: We got right behind tolling. 32 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 3: Our pert it wouldn't have happened without a toll, and 33 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 3: we unreservedly backed tolling it and it wouldn't have happened 34 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: without it. So you know, we support toll They've got 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: to be realistic and affordable, but you know there's a way. 36 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 3: One thing we do question is this this cost for 37 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 3: the brindou In section. Okay, so we're looking at sort 38 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 3: of six six odd kilometers of road and if you 39 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 3: cost it out at what the Johnson's Tunnel through the 40 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 3: Walkworth costs at fifty thousand a linear meter, we're only 41 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 3: only looking at three hundred odd million now, so that 42 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 3: just gives you an indication we don't have the extensive 43 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 3: viaducts involved. So the figures figures are being thrown around 44 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,919 Speaker 3: about the cost of this section. There's a vital section 45 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 3: because we don't have decent detail routes and it just 46 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 3: needs to be done. So we just we can't determine 47 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 3: that the real cost until the geotechnic investigations are completed 48 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: and we've had assurances from the Minister of Transport, mister Bishrip. 49 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 3: We are very appreciative of these assurances that the geotech crews, 50 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: when they finished with the section between Walkworth and Tihana, 51 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 3: are going to move on to this section. So you know, 52 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 3: that's that's great news. So look, it's excellent news today, 53 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 3: but we we really really want to see that spade 54 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 3: go on the ground. 55 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, I bet you do. Joe, Thanks very much 56 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 2: and good luck with the Jokha Council chairf of Northland 57 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 2: Regional Council. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen 58 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: live to news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, 59 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 2: or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.