Here we go again. Another plan for a second harbour crossing. How many times have we heard this now?

Back 106 years ago, the Auckland Canals and Waterways Commission considered a bridge to cross the Waitematā Harbour. Nine years later, a Royal Commission said the bridge was not justified as the population in those days didn't warrant it. In 1943 the Waitematā Harbour Bridge Authority proposed a bridge as an employment project for returning World War Two servicemen. Nothing really happened.

In 1945 the Waitematā Harbour Bridge Association, supported by the Auckland Automobile Association, petitioned parliament for another Royal Commission to investigate bridge construction. A year later the Royal Commission on trans-harbour facilities reviewed nearly 1,300 pages of evidence, concluding that a bridge would be needed within 15 years. Allowances were then set for water mains to go alongside the bridge construction, and the Ministry of Works began seabed investigations. British designers Freeman Fox and Partners prepared preliminary designs. In 1950, Parliament passed the Auckland Harbour Bridge Act, creating the Auckland Harbour Bridge Authority to construct and operate the bridge only. Throughout the 1950s, from 1951 to 1956, construction started on the bridge, with Prime Minister Sidney Holland providing funding of five million pounds. A decision was made for a four-lane traffic-only bridge with no railway or footpaths. In 1959, the bridge finally opened. I remember the day vividly. The bridge was officially opened by the Governor-General, Viscount Cobham.

By 1966, annual crossings of the Harbour Bridge were close to 15 million. Because usage of the Harbour Bridge was quite overwhelming, between 1966 and 1969 a Japanese company added clip-ons to the bridge, doubling lanes from four to eight. In 1985, inspections were made that revealed cracking of the clip-on box girders, leading to heavy vehicles being banned from the clip-on parts of the bridge and a two-year repair programme beginning. In 1988, the Waitematā Harbour Crossing Association alongside the Auckland Regional Authority provided a feasibility option for a second harbour crossing. This led to absolutely nothing.

In 1997, the Auckland Regional Council undertook a Waitematā crossing study and identified possible locations for a new harbour crossing. This led to nothing.

In 2008, again 10 years later, there was another Auckland Waitematā Harbour Crossing study, which was a two-phase study to investigate an alternative crossing option. Again nothing.

In 2010 there was an additional Waitematā Harbour Crossing form assessment and preliminary business case. This led to nothing.

In 2018, a North Shore Rapid Transit Programme business case was undertaken by Auckland Transport, leading to nothing.

And then, of course, it was around this time the lunacy plan by the Labour Government was put forward for a cycle bridge that cost millions of dollars. Which we are still paying for to this day. Remember that one? They bought up all those houses in Northcote Point that I believe we still own. Some of these houses are on cliffs that slipped into the harbour during Cyclone Gabrielle.

In 2020 there was an additional Waitematā Harbour Connection preliminary business case which again investigated the feasibility of a second harbour crossing. And in 2023 there was the Waitematā Harbour Connections draft indicative business case undertaken, which led to nothing.

Then in 2024 there was the Waitematā Harbour Connections study, which undertook detailed option assessment phases and geotechnical investigations.

So now in 2026 there has been another big announcement of options for a second harbour crossing. Again, some politicians are standing up, spouting off whether we are going to have a tunnel or a bridge. And then we have our Auckland mayor, the self-proclaimed engineer of engineers, Mayor Brown, proclaiming the idiotic idea of putting a new crossing over Meola Reef. He obviously doesn't realise there is a Māori burial ground there, and he obviously doesn't realise the people of Point Chevalier and Chatswood wouldn't agree to it. He also obviously doesn't realise that there is the Chelsea Sugar works owned by the Chinese who wouldn't agree to it. So, I don't quite know where he gets his ideas from. Mind you, I'm led on good authority to believe that he is turning 80 soon, so I can understand his confused ideas.

A second crossing will cost untold billions of dollars. So, if it ever comes into fruition, it would have to be heavily tolled to pay for it. And that would mean the existing Harbour Bridge would have to be heavily tolled also. It's crazy that Prime Minister Muldoon ever removed the tolls back on 31 March 1984. If they had remained, maybe we would have enough money in the old piggy bank to pay for this new crossing.

So here we go again, more big ideas three months out from the election. Let's watch this space. 

It was interesting to see recently a multimillion-dollar revamp of a piece of road in the peninsula area. Beautiful black tar seal, no chip sealing, wide spacious footpaths and beautiful landscaping. The piece of road would have been only half a kilometre long. In fact, so good it should be an advertisement for how roading should be done. It just so happens that this piece of road is exactly where our local Member of Parliament lives. Funny that.