An article in Stuff is headlined “British migrants flee New Zealand citing expensive rentals and heavy traffic.” Around 6,000 returned home in the year to June 2019. In both cases, rentals and traffic, it was Auckland that was being referred to. In both cases, the government is to blame.
A couple from Hereford had hoped to start a family in Auckland but said rents were “abnormal”. This government, since it took office, has brought in regulation after regulation which has had the obvious consequence of landlords passing on the resultant extra costs and therefore raising the rents. I am well aware that in ‘Comrade’ Ardern’s world the rich prick landlords should absorb all the increased costs. This is understandable as since the day Winston Peters installed her in office she has shown herself to be woefully ignorant on economic matters. Her minister of finance is yapping at her heels in this regard.
In regard to transport, the comment was that the bus network is so disjointed, it’s just not feasible to spend an hour and a half getting around town. The couple said that in Auckland you need a car to get around but when you do drive you’re stuck in traffic for hours. These comments are accurate to the point where this couple can avoid the tag of whinging poms.
Auckland has the second worst traffic in Oceania according to a recent study, with congestion increasing travel times by 29 per cent.
stuff.co.nz/national/115131791/british-migrants-flee-new-zealand-citing-expensive-rentals-and-heavy-traffic
This is where the two numpties Phil Twyford and Julie-Anne Genter need to get their collective ideologically driven thick skulls out of the sand and listen up. Auckland’s bus network is disjointed and always will be due to the region’s topography. You can put on all the buses you like and run your tram up Dominion Road but the reality is the gridlock on the motorways will continue to get worse. Cycleways and walkways clearly are not the answer.
The only answer to gridlock is more roads as National had realised and planned for. There’s little point in Labour arguing that no money had actually been allocated. It would have been and a start made. Unless the government faces up to hard reality, then the problem of gridlock in Auckland and elsewhere will just be exacerbated.
Oh, and the article also stated that arrivals from the UK in the last year were down 24%. The message must be hitting home.
