Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, fresh from a successful campaign launch on Sunday, went to Tauranga to announce Labour would spend $20million on a regional rapid rail plan to establish a passenger service between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.
If stage one was successful, and demand was justified, Labour would consider investing in stages two and three of the regional rapid rail plan.
Labour would also boost transport investment in regional projects across the country by doubling the funding range in the Government Policy Statement.
That would lift funding available for regional projects from between $70million and $140million a year to between $140million and $280million a year.
Transport Minister Simon Bridges said Labour's adoption of the passenger rail ideas for Waikato and the Bay of Plenty from the Auckland public transport lobby was unrealistic and would be a waste of public money.
The Greens announced they would provide free fares on buses, trains and commuter ferries for all young people around the country, as well as a commitment to fund and build a congestion-free network in Auckland.
The cost of providing free travel on public transport for people aged under 19 was between $70million and $80million per year and would come from the Land Transport Fund.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has welcomed National's promise to extend low-cost GP visits to more patients.
An extra 600,000 New Zealanders would have access to $18 doctor visits under National, health spokesman Jonathan Coleman announced yesterday.
College president Dr Tim Malloy said the college had campaigned for more families to receive low-cost visits.
It would take effect in the middle of next year, and would cost $380million over four years.
The number of people who could access free or cheap GP visits would increase to 2.5million.
The Government has announced it will spend $3million trying to boost teacher numbers amid growing concern educators are leaving Auckland, due to the high cost of living.
Education Minister Nikki Kaye yesterday announced a package that includes an extra $1million towards expanding a programme to get teachers started in Auckland jobs and another $2million to help 200 teachers move from overseas to New Zealand.
Labour said the announcement was nothing more than tinkering around the edges of a major problem.
Voters will get a better idea of how campaign promises can be paid for tomorrow, when the Treasury releases the Pre-Election Fiscal Update (Prefu).
Coming one month before the election, the Prefu will serve as the new reference point for party policy costings. - Additional reporting Eileen Goodwin & NZN
