Will Auckland light rail survive govt policy refocus?

Prime minister Chris Hipkins is making cost of living his primary focus. (Image: Getty)

Fri, 03 Feb 2023

Under ‘bread and butter’ prime minister Chris Hipkins, the government’s full-throated support for Auckland light rail appears to have curdled.Jacinda Ardern's – Hipkins' predecessor – first major policy announcement as Labour leader was light rail between Wynyard Quarter and Mt Roskill by 2021.That never happened.The government has, however, endorsed a partially tunnelled option costing about $14.6 billion and set up a crown entity company, Auckland Light Rail (ARL), to progress the project and deliver its...

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