Fuel shortage – “ultimately, a failure to manage for our rapid growth”

The ruptured fuel pipeline between the Marsden refinery and Auckland Airport is not an airport or an airline fault.

“It is not a central government fault either,” said Auckland Chamber of Commerce head, Michael Barnett.

“It is an extension of the Auckland issue and, ultimately, our failure to manage for growth.

“It is another example of our failure to put in place a management plan to take account of the increased scale and demand Auckland’s growth has created.

The Wiri fuel depot capacity is still at the level of demand of 2012 – “demand has grown 30% since then but not the planning or management to accommodate that growth.”

“Yes we need to fix the latest issue with speed and urgency, but of equal importance, we need to accelerate decision making and provide infrastructure for today’s population and its demand and provide for ongoing growth.

“We have to stop living in the past, and get beyond an expectation that the scale of infrastructure needed to cope with our growth is good enough – it isn’t.”

· For more information contact Michael Barnett at 0275 631 150.