TIMESWORD

PUZZLE NO. 8112 potholes and damage from Cyclone Gabrielle still in need of attention.

Labour have also reduced the budget for local road maintenance by $314 million, a more than 40 per cent reduction from last year, ultimately meaning nearly half a billion dollars less overall to keep our roads safe and fit for purpose.

This is simply unacceptable.

National has spent the last 12 months trying to highlight the dire state of our nation’s roads in the desperate hope that the Government would do something about it.

CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS

6. Described it exactly as it was (4,2,5).

7. The new driver is a woman (4).

8. Having an unwillingness to ride, one’s forced into it (2,6).

9. Was inclined to be the last man out (6).

10. Safe you get (6).

12. Grasping the pole we did run, though out of breath (6).

15. It’s hard to figure how tall it is (6).

17. Be clearly worried about the way fares are changing (4,4).

19. Put back the mug (4).

20. Whether it’s a god match for or whether it appeals (4,2,2,3).

1. Insisted on having something done about the damn wreck (8).

2. Drunk as Olive was at the cocktail party (6).

3. Whispers “Like the date” (6).

4. The voice on the line? (4).

QUICK CLUES

5. A stoical attendant? (6).

6. Make for initiative (5).

11. Like that frightening story abouut the Polar expedition? (8).

13. Get a breath of fresh air (6).

14. Kills an inoffensive animal: an offence (4,2).

15. An appalling thing to be stricken by (6).

16. Lift many a one in (5).

18. Watch for a sign that a ship’s gone by (4).

The

The Moon And The Tides

Following the damage wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle, they talked a big game about the need to repair and rebuild our roads to a more resilient level, to ensure they could handle future natural disasters.

But as is usual for Labour, what they announce is never what they deliver, to the detriment of Kiwis once again.

They continue to spend money in all the wrong places, and particularly love to spend it on projects that end up cancelled, or on things that make no sense, like speed limit reductions and light rail. A National Government, if elected later this year, will bring fiscal discipline to transport spending and real investment into the infrastructure New Zealand needs.

Simeon Brown MPforPakuranga