Auckland mayor Len Brown has criticised the methods used by the Government in rejecting a case for a multi-billion dollar downtown rail tunnel.
Auckland Council and the Government are at loggerheads about the future of the rail project, with Mr Brown saying the 3.5km tunnel will transform the central city and boost public transport use, and the Government remaining adamant the benefits have been exaggerated.
The mayor and Transport Minister Steven Joyce shared the stage at a transport conference in Auckland on Thursday.
Mr Brown said it was inappropriate for the Government to assess the value of the rail tunnel, only over 30-year period.
He says it will transform Auckland over the next century, and boost growth.
Mr Joyce took a swipe at the mayor, saying it was not important to talk about how many consultants had backed the city's case. Both agree their differences need to be resolved.
