Kelvin Davis

Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key has now released version three of his cycleway, says Labour tourism spokesperson Kelvin Davis.

"His original vision --- or daydream --- consisted of a cycleway running the length of the country," Kelvin Davis said.

"By last month the 'vision' had become a $50 million series of so-called great rides. Now it's been reduced to what he calls a patchwork quilt.

"That description is an insult to patchwork quilters. I'm sure most of them start their quilts with a plan of sorts. John Key is starting without a clue how much the cycleway if it's ever built will eventually cost, where it will go, how many jobs it will create, or how to market it to overseas tourists," Kelvin Davis said. "His patchwork quilt is in tatters before the first stitch is sewn.

"Whenever the Prime Minister thinks out loud about his ill-conceived project, it costs the country money. Mr Key is the only person who gets to put a price tag on his day dreams, but sadly this day dream is siphoning money out of the economy that could be used for genuine employment opportunities.

"Each subsequent version looks less like a cycleway and more and more like a prime ministerial folly. We can only imagine what version four will be. A cynic suggested to me yesterday that it might look like a giant doughnut, with cyclists pedalling round in circles, the whole creation getting staler by the day, and a large hole in the middle where there should have been thinking going on."

Kelvin Davis said that at select committee last month Associate Tourism Minister Jonathon Coleman could not say how much the cycleway would finally cost or how many great rides there would be.

"There is absolutely no plan attached to this daydream, just as there is no plan to create jobs for Kiwis.

"What will it cost the next time the Prime Minister thinks out loud again? This day dream has a $50m price tag. Imagine how much he'll cost us if he really gets 'ambitious for New Zealand'."