Thursday’s Budget included $400 million to replace the Interislander ferries and improve portside infrastructure, $246 million towards investment in track and supporting infrastructure, and $421 million for new wagons and locomotives.
KiwiRail group chief executive Greg Miller yesterday said there were no plans for any work funded by Budget 2020 to be undertaken at Hillside workshops.
"As New Zealand does not have the capability to build locomotives, or ferries, they will have to be sourced overseas, and it’s unlikely specialist landside infrastructure for the ferries, such as linkspans, which allow trains and vehicles to get on and off the ferries, could be built in New Zealand.
"Hillside currently carries out refurbishment work, including converting 130 container freight wagons to carry forestry logs last year."
Mr Miller said KiwiRail’s plan was to turn Hillside into a heavy engineering facility for the South Island that could "be used, for example, to assemble rail wagons".
"This is what the redevelopment, beginning with the $20 million Provincial Growth Investment, is aimed at."
Mr Woodhouse was heavily critical of the decision.
"The revelation that, despite investing $410 million to purchase rolling stock in Budget 2020, none of that work will come to Hillside is a staggering act of hypocrisy by the Labour Government.
"Dunedinites were led to believe the $20 million Provincial Growth Fund investment so proudly announced by Clare Curran, Shane Jones and David Parker six months ago was so Hillside could respond to just such an investment.
"With job losses imminent and a commitment to apprenticeships, and given the Government’s stated commitment, Dunedinites would see this as a massive opportunity."
‘‘This is what Hillside used to do, but it was run down and closed by the previous National government, with a fire sale of important engineering equipment.’’
She said she was ‘‘advocating strongly’’ for any new rail investment to include Hillside.
"I do however understand that the re-establishment can’t be fully achieved overnight.
"I’m looking forward to more announcements that include Hillside in the coming months."
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Fair comment. Our labour MPs have proved to be hopeless and Shane Jones is only interested in buying votes in Northland. We aren't even getting the proper hospital we need.
Quote: ‘‘This is what Hillside used to do, but it was run down and closed by the previous National government, with a fire sale of important engineering equipment.’’
Woodhouse can moan all he likes. Fact is, Hillside would not be in this situation if not for the ridiculous action of the previous government. Criticising Labour on this subject is hypocrisy with a flash light. This is something our Mayor should be criticising and advocating for on behalf of Dunedinites. Wake up Aaron, we need jobs.
As for Northland, I support Shane Jones, that region has also been left out of the mix for decades. Both ends of our country have been ignored for too long.
A ferry linkspan is a harbour side steel marine dock. And a ferry is, well a ferry. Why is it surprising that these are beyond the scope of Hillside workshops. Maybe if National had ensured the $29 Kiwirail locomotives had been manufactured in NZ, and not gifted to China, then Hillside may have been up for some of this work.