Well,听very good听news today that the听Puhoi听to听Warkworth听highway听has finally听officially听been opened.
Only about a year and a half late, but听we鈥檒l听take what听we听can get.
You听can鈥檛听drive on it yet 鈥 you have听to听wait听until听early听next week, and they听won鈥檛 tell us exactly when听because听it鈥檒l听cause听disruptions with听everyone听flocking听to听use the road all at once.
That is how much we love a new road in this country.听
And do you know who was there to open听it?听
The Labour听Party.
罢丑补迟'蝉听谤颈驳丑迟; Chris听Hipkins, Kiri听Allan, Shanan听Halbert. The very听people听who听criticised the road to no end when it was first mooted by the National Party. They derided it听as听a听low-value听鈥渉oliday highway鈥 and promised听to cut the project听indefinitely听if they won the 2011听election.
And then today suddenly they were calling it a 鈥渓egacy project鈥 and vital for the听economy, and apparently today is an 鈥渆xciting day鈥 according to Kiri Allan.听
And do you know why they听changed听their tune on this particular stretch of road?听
Because Labour has obviously, belatedly, realised that we love roads in New Zealand! Kiwis love a good new road.听
It's听kind听of听sad听when you realise why we love a new road, it's听because we听don鈥檛听have enough good roads so听they鈥檙e听still a novelty to drive on.听Because for about听19听kilometres听you can听imagine that听you听actually live听in a properly developed country with proper听infrastructure.
And听it鈥檚听even sadder听when听you听then听realise听that because Labour鈥檚 been so ideologically opposed to building roads, we've听lost six years of road building time.
But hey, the good听news听is that Labour has finally come around.
Even if they are ideologically opposed to roads, they鈥檝e realised that won鈥檛 win them elections. And let's hope that attitude sticks around on the off chance that they do win re-election in October, Because Puhoi to Warkworth is just one bit, it needs to go all the way to听Whangarei听yet.
We've听got a need in this country for a lot of new roads.
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