Are taxpayers funding cycling lobbyists?
IS NZTA FUNDING AND USING CYCLE ACTION NETWORK (CAN) TO INFLUENCE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS RESULTS
According to publicly available information it is indeed. You can make up your mind by reading information in the selected images attached.
Cycling Action Network is effectively run by Patrick Morgan and a few other activists around the country.
Dougal List is NZTA’s cycling czar. He has decided that a good way to spend some of your $333M Urban Cycleways Programme (UCP) gifted by the National Government is by having cycling friendly and compliant councils in key cities after the upcoming elections. He is in a hurry for CAN to get its act together quickly.
Dougal List has agreed to fund the cycling lobby CAN to achieve his ends according to discussions on the CAN website. We are sure National wont be happy with NZTA’s use of UCP funds for this unintended outcome. Perversely certain large councils are going to be infested by National’s opponents if this NZTA strategy bears fruit.
I have no first hand knowledge of this, but would be alarmed if CAN is receiving taxpayer funding. It isn’t that I disagree with them. I often agree with them. But lobby groups should be funded by members and supporters, not taxpayers.
Hopefully someone can clarify whether or not CAN has received taxpayer funding, or is seeking to do so.