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The mayor of New Plymouth says Waka Kotahi has siphoned off half a billion dollars from Taranaki road funding over the past decade leaving the region's State Highways are falling apart.
Documents released to Neil Holdom under the Official Information Act show in 10 years, the region has contributed about $550 million to the roading agency's coffers which was spent elsewhere - primarily in the main centres.
Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.