Twyford Phil: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTwyford Phil: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 12 March 2015. Volume:703;Page:2204. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister of Transport: How much has been spent in total by the New Zealand Transport Agency on roads in the Northland region under National Land Transport Programmes set by the current Government since it was elected in November 2008?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): I cannot be as precise as the member seeks because records on spending are kept only year on year and start in July and finish in June the following year. But starting in July 2008 through to June 2015 this Government has spent $750 million on Northland roads some 40 percent more than the Labour Government did in the same period of time. We back Northland unlike the Labour Party and New Zealand First.Phil Twyford: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was on notice. The National Land Transport Programme provides detailed information on yearly disbursements. It is not good enough for the Minister to say he cannot answer that question in detail or accurately.Mr SPEAKER: Order! No no. As I understood the Minister he then talked about the financial year so he gave a figure from 1 July 2008 of $750 million. The question has undoubtedly been addressed. If the member feels it is an unreasonable answer I suggest he now makes progress with his supplementary questions.Phil Twyford: When he told the media and the House that National had spent $750 million on Northland roads was he aware that that includes a quarter of a billion dollars budgeted or spent by the then Labour Government; if so why is he trying to deceive the people of this country about his cuts to the road funding in Northland?Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Simon Bridges—either of those supplementary questions.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: The member is plain simple wrong. We have spent $750 million over 7 years. But here is the thing Mr Twyford: no matter how you cut the numbers year on year month on month we have spent more than you.Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is not—[Interruption]Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am on my feet.Hon Annette King: Yes Mr Speaker. I see that.Mr SPEAKER: I am on my feet.Hon Annette King: Would you like me to sit down?Mr SPEAKER: I would like that. I was going to say to the Minister that it is not appropriate to bring the Speaker into this debate.Hon Annette King: If the Minister quoted from an official document when he gave the figures to the House today could he please table it? I am waiting for—Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is easily resolved. Did the Minister quote from an official document? [Interruption] Order!Phil Twyford: Why is he refusing to release the cost-benefit analyses completed for each of the 10 new bridges and which projects have been cut or delayed to free up the funding for his by-election announcement?Mr SPEAKER: Again either of those two supplementary questions the Hon Simon Bridges.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I appreciate it is difficult for the member. This is the second question he has asked me ever—some 200 percent in 1 week—so I say congratulations on asking a question. The projects stack up. There are three bridges that will be prioritised in the first 3 years. All are in the regional land transport plan. It is quite clear to the people of Northland that these are important projects that need to be done and we back Northland.Phil Twyford: Was he aware when planning to widen—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member can start his question again.Phil Twyford: Was he aware when planning to widen the “Darby and Joan” kauri bridge in Waipoua Forest that it is not actually a bridge but a single-lane section of road left that way in order to protect two ancient kauri trees? What does this Government have against ancient kauri trees—first the Resource Management Act reforms and now they are in the way of National’s pork barrel?Mr SPEAKER: Again the Hon Simon Bridges—either of those two supplementary questions.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I can assure the member that “Darby and Joan” are safe and sound.Phil Twyford: Had he seen the widely published photograph of his colleagues putting up an election hoarding close to a busy main road before he announced—Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no ministerial responsibility in that question.Phil Twyford: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The ministerial responsibility lies in the fact that the question—you did not listen to the full question—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. He is very lucky that he is remaining in the Chamber today. I have ruled that question out of order. I will on this occasion give the member the opportunity to have another question otherwise we are moving on.Phil Twyford: Has he been advised that the widely published photograph of his colleagues putting up an election hoarding was done before his announcement of the 10 new bridges in Northland; if so is he embarrassed that local people are taking the large pig standing in the photograph as a metaphor for his announcement?Mr SPEAKER: I fail to see much ministerial responsibility. I will leave it for the Minister to answer. I call the Hon Simon Bridges but he has a certain amount of latitude.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I understand the anger and disappointment from the member opposite. It must be gutting to know—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will remove that sign immediately from the Chamber. The member will remove that from the Chamber. Does the Minister wish to complete his answer?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I appreciate it is gutting—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Because of the way that was taken from the Chamber the member can remove himself for the balance of question time.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: No first of all I want the member to remove himself.Phil Twyfordwithdrew from the Chamber.Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.Chris Hipkins: There are some quite clear Speakers’ rulings around the use of props in the House and I wonder whether you could indicate for future reference so that members can comply with those which of those you feel Mr Twyford did not comply with.Mr SPEAKER: I can. If the member wants to look at Speakers’ rulings 56 and 57 there are a number of rulings about the use of visual aids. If they are of value to the House then they can be used. That one I determined was straight electioneering and under no circumstances will I allow that. [Interruption] Order! Under no circumstances will I allow that to be displayed in this Chamber. Then I asked the member to remove it. The way he then removed it by displaying it to everybody in this House I found totally unacceptable. On that basis I have asked the member to leave the Chamber.Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Is it a relitigation?Hon Annette King: No not at all. I wish to table the New Zealand Transport Agency figures from 2007-08 2008-09 to 2013-14 showing that—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member has explained what she is attempting to table. I just need to check whether the information is freely available on the website.Hon Members: Yes.Mr SPEAKER: Yes it is and I will not—[Interruption] If other people wish to leave and accompany their colleague I can assist.Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Can I just clarify because the Minister said they were not available—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member is really testing my patience. I have explained on many occasions the purpose of tabling a document. It is not to make a political point. It is to further inform the proceedings of the House. On this occasion I have ruled that if it is freely available to members they have the ability after question time to go back and if they want that information get it on the website. Members need to bear in mind the tabling of documents is not to make a political point.Julie Anne Genter: Can the Minister confirm according to advice from his own officials that funding ranges for local roads road maintenance and road safety were reduced by National in 2009 and 2012 in order to increase funding ranges for a few expensive new State highways none of which are in Northland?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: That is incorrect. I appreciate though the member’s interest in public transport. We have not made an announcement on that in Northland yet. Can I say we have not talked about buses. That is lucky though because that is what the Labour Party through—Mr SPEAKER: Order! That will not help the order of this House. [Interruption] Order! I will be asking somebody to leave and it will be from the front bench on my left at this stage.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table this report from the Ministry of Transport stating that funding ranges for new and improved State highways were significantly increased in 2009 and 2012—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The document has been described. I just again need to check the source. Is it freely available to members on the web?Julie Anne Genter: No it was not.Mr SPEAKER: I will take the member’s word and therefore put the leave. It is a Ministry of Transport report that is not freely available to members. I am putting the leave. The House can decide. Is there any objection to that being tabled? There is not. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.