Michael Barnett: Chinese company offering to pay for controversial Penlink route

Could a Chinese company be the answer for frustrated residents of Auckland's burgeoning Whangaparaoa Peninsula? A Chinese infrastructure firm is offering to pay for the Penlink route, connecting the peninsula with State Highway 1. It would collect the toll for 20 to 25 years in return. Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett told the Weekend Collective congestion is only getting worse - and thousands more houses are on the way. "If I have a look at the interchange at the morning, that queue has gone from 500 metres to about five kilometres each morning, so there's a need for it, and we can't get it with Auckland money." Barnett says New Zealand is dependent on foreign investment, and we shouldn't be afraid of where the money comes from. "Being afraid of where the money comes from to my mind is foolish. What we need to do is ensure that the rules and regulations around construction and the way it is managed is done and done well." LISTEN TO MICHAEL BARNETT TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.