30 Apr 2022

'Wasteful' spending on now-scrapped cycle bridge - National

4:27 pm on 30 April 2022

National is accusing the government of wasting money by securing prime office space for Auckland's cycle bridge staff, weeks before cancelling the project.

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National transport spokesman Simeon Brown Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

The party's transport spokesman Simeon Brown said a lease was signed for a 1000 square-metre office space in the Wynyard Quarter of Auckland, the most expensive part of the city.

But he said the $50 million cycle bridge was cancelled just three weeks later.

Brown labelled it chaotic decision-making.

"Now you have an empty office sitting on the waterfront in Auckland.

"But more than that, why did the government think it was a good idea to hire some of the most expensive real estate for this project in the first place."

He said it was another case of wasteful spending by Transport Minister Michael Wood.

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