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# The Hand Brake Works Again
- URL: https://goodoil.news/the-hand-brake-works-again/
- Published: 2020-06-24T20:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2024-07-17T17:00:12.000Z
- Author: Cam Slater
- Tags: Election 2020, NZ, NZ Politics, Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2024-07-17 03:00

**Winston Peters** has again said no to wasteful and silly spending, [this time it is the light rail project](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300041249/governments-flagship-transport-policy-axed?ref=goodoil.news) that Labour promised would be completed by 2021, but so far hasn’t had a single rail tie laid.

> The Government has conceded its flagship transport has been put on ice, again.  
>  
> It had been obvious for months the project was troubled, with coalition partners NZ First openly saying it wouldn’t progress this Parliamentary term.  
>  
> After almost three years, the project finally made it to the Cabinet table on Monday. Transport Minister **Phil Twyford** should have left the Cabinet room closer to a decision on who would build the enormous infrastructure project.  
>  
> Instead, the project was axed, which the Government was forced to admit on Wednesday.  
>  
> The Government has now conceded that the project has been axed, saying it would be kicked back to officials after nearly three years of deliberation.  
>  
> Auckland Mayor **Phil Goff** said he was “disappointed” and “frustrated” with the outcome.

Another broken promise and like Kiwibuild it was a flagship policy of **Jacinda Ardern**.

What we know now is that if Labour promises anything then you can expect it to be still born as a project.

While Winston can claim to have been the hand brake, I think it is true to say that much of the trouble has been because of the grandiloquent Minister, Phil Twyford, who has the reverse Midas touch.

His credentials as a progressive must now be seriously in doubt as not much progresses when he is in charge. He should be renamed the Minister for Trainwrecks.

[via GIPHY](https://giphy.com/gifs/train-trainwreck-wreck-JYEEdjzlsb280?ref=goodoil.news)

Things are starting to get testy inside the government. Until yesterday I thought that the Government would run full term, but after this reversal plus a couple of others in the last 24 hours we now run a high chance of an election in the next six weeks.

Fingers crossed.