NZ Herald – By Anne Gibson – 22 July 2016
Excepts…
One of them, Cameron Brewer, is concerned that work on CRL has begun without the money to finish it.
“I’m not necessarily against the City Rail Link,” he says. “I certainly think it will be a transport benefit to Auckland. However I remain nervous as to the end cost and too much being loaded on to Auckland ratepayers present and future, while other worthy regional transport projects are forced to stay on the back burner.
“According to council’s own long-term budget forecasts, an operational shortfall of over $100 million remains for each and every year and that’s after collecting fares and rail subsidies.”
He says city councillors still don’t know the total cost of construction, who will cover any blow-outs, and how operational costs will be paid.
“Despite all these unknowns, construction has already begun, which is a big worry,” says Brewer. “The Auditor-General has since given us her assurance that her office is over it and we now await to see the joint funding agreement that Government and council officials are now working on.”
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