Hillside railway workshops should return to assembly work, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Ms Ardern toured the South Dunedin workshop yesterday during a visit to Dunedin, and inspected plans to renovate the site to establish a mechanical hub and heavy engineering facility to service KiwiRail's trains.
The Prime Minister said that work, funded by $19.97 million from its Provincial Growth Fund, should just be the start of a revival of Hillside.
"My hope is that we will put ourselves in a position where we will be able to see assembly here at Hillside," she said.
"I do think that will make a difference to employment opportunities here. It will bring in an additional pipeline of work skills and training associated with assembly as well.
"For me, that’s where I would like to see Hillside go."The rail workshops have been a popular destination for politicians this election campaign, with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters having toured last week.
Ms Ardern met most of the current staff and told them Labour was dedicated to the future of the workshops.
Dunedin South Labour MP Clare Curran, who for her nine years in Parliament has fought to keep Hillside open, welcomed the Prime Minister’s support.
"Hillside is a really important hub for engineering and rail investment in Dunedin, and that this is just the beginning is really exciting."
