August 2015 – Save the Basin

Some Media Reactions To The High Court Basin Reserve Flyover Decision

Posted on 24/08/2015 by stb_nyltr0

As we reported on Friday, the High Court dismissed NZTA’s appeal against the Board of Inquiry decision to decline resource consent for a Basin Reserve flyover.

There was a lot of media reaction to this decision – below is a selection.

As mentioned above, Wellington Scoop’s Flyover category is a great place to keep up with coverage and reactions. Here are some specific items worth looking at, none more welcome than the first:

Dominion Post editorial, Mon 24 August: Time to leave the flyover behind

TV3: Basin Reserve flyover a no go after appeal dismissed

Radio New Zealand: Basin Reserve flyover appeal rejected

Stuff: Basin Reserve flyover project killed off by the High Court

New Zealand Herald: Basin Reserve flyover project killed off

Wellington Scoop: Iona Pannett tells City Council to end its flyover fixation

Wellington Scoop: Seven years of community opposition, and the defeat of the Transport Agency

Wellington Scoop: News release from Richard Reid and Associates: Architect pleased at support for his Basin roading enhancement option

Save the Basin Delighted at High Court Decision

Posted on 21/08/2015 by stb_nyltr0

The High Court this afternoon dismissed the New Zealand Transport Agency’s appeal against the 2014 Board of Inquiry decision to decline resource consent for a Basin Reserve flyover.

The High Court decision is available here: http://courtsofnz.govt.nz/front-page/cases/new-zealand-transport-agency-v-architectural-centre-incorporated-and-ors

Naturally, Save the Basin is delighted! Below is our press release from earlier this afternoon – check out all the coverage and reactions to the decision on Wellington Scoop.

Save the Basin Campaign Delighted by High Court Decision

The Save the Basin Campaign today said that it was delighted the High Court had rejected the New Zealand Transport Agency’s appeal of the 2014 Board of Inquiry decision to decline resource consent for a Basin Reserve flyover.

Save the Basin Campaign spokesperson Tim Jones said that the Campaign was confident the Board of Inquiry decision would stand up under the High Court’s scrutiny, and that the Transport Agency had failed to mount a strong case. He also thanked Matthew Palmer QC, who appeared for Save the Basin at the High Court, and Nathan Ross, who assisted.

“Just because the Transport Agency hates to lose to community groups, that doesn’t mean it has the right to have decisions overturned that it doesn’t like,” said Tim Jones. “We hope the Transport Agency and the Government will finally take the message on board that a Basin Reserve flyover would be ugly, unnecessary, outdated and inappropriate, and that Wellington deserves modern, sustainable transport options that are appropriate for a modern capital city.”

“We hope that the NZTA and the Government have seen sense and will not seek to waste yet more taxpayer money on appealing this decision further,” Mr Jones concluded. “However, if they do try to pursue further legal avenues, we’ll be ready for them.”

Action Station makes a vital contribution to Save the Basin

Posted on 13/08/2015 by stb_nyltr0

As Wellington Scoop has reported, Community campaigning group Action Station has made a vital contribution to the campaign to save the Basin Reserve from a massive motorway flyover which the New Zealand Transport Agency wants to build there.

Despite a Government-appointed Board of Inquiry ruling in 2014 that a Basin Reserve flyover should not go ahead, the New Zealand Transport Agency took the matter to the High Court in July, attempting to overturn the Board’s decision.

NZTA is able to spend millions of dollars in taxpayer money to pursue its flyover obsession, which puts community groups such as the Save the Basin Campaign and the Mt Victoria Residents’ Association, which jointly opposed NZTA’s appeal in the High Court, at a huge financial disadvantage.

Save the Basin Campaign spokesperson Tim Jones said “We’re delighted that Action Station agreed to help with our fundraising. Their support allowed us to reach a new audience and provided a crucial boost to help us meet our fundraising target for our legal fund. Our supporters may not be able to spend up large with taxpayer money, as the Transport Agency does, but they make up for it with determination and commitment.”

For Action Station, Nina Atkinson said “ActionStation exists to make it easy for progressive New Zealanders to take action on the issues they care about. Hosting the crowdfunding campaign and asking our community to chip in for this people-powered effort was the very least we could do and we’re so glad it helped.”

Fundraising through Action Station raised close to $2000 for the legal fund. The cheque handover took place at Tuesday lunchtime at the northern entrance to the Basin Reserve, near where NZTA wants to impose the flyover monstrosity. The High Court hearing on NZTA’s appeal finished on 31 July, and the hudge’s verdict is now awaited.