April 12, 2018
Better transport will benefit whanau
Labour MP and urban Maori advocate Willie Jackson says Maori could be big winners from the Government’s transport strategy.
Transport Minister Phil Twyford’s 10-year transport plan includes increased spending on public transport and road safety, throttling back the previous Government’s motorway building programme, and increasing fuel taxes to fund it all.
Mr Jackson says safety is critical, with Maori having the highest rates of death on the roads and fatal accidents often happening in the most deprived areas.
There are also economic benefits for Maori from better public transport.
"A lack of transport is a significant barrier to our Maori whanau accessing healthcare, study, job opportunities, and social services so incredibly important," he says.
Mr Jackson says the previous Government increased the fuel excise six times, so its complaints about a tax increase ring hollow.
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