Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Fitzsimons Jeanette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:626;Page:21045] 
5.  
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: How much is the Government spending on land transport in Auckland this year and how does this compare with previous years? 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 About $405 million—more than ever before and almost twice what the previous National Government spent in its last year in office. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is the Minister aware of any cities that have managed to “motorway” their way out of congestion? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: No and to quote a former Minister of Transport Maurice Williamson: “I think it is important to realise that throwing dollars at the problem of roads is not the answer. Experience in the United Kingdom and the United States and even here in Auckland shows us this. Building more and more roads in congested areas on many occasions results in more congestion more traffic jams more time and money wasted and more pollution.” 
Hon Mark Gosche 
: To prove that point how does the dollar value of transport infrastructure projects in Auckland this year compare with progress under National? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Major transport projects under way this year in Auckland total over $1.3 billion compared with major projects under way totalling less than one-tenth of that amount under National in 1999-2000. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Can the Minister explain why trying to shut down public criticism of this Government’s poor track record in funding Auckland roads such as his smart alec trick of—[ 
Interruption 
] I thought questions were supposed to be heard in silence. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Yes they are. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Oh so there are two rules? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No there are not two rules. I will ask the member to withdraw that. The constant interjections the chatter and the general level of noise are very difficult to control in this House. I ask all members to be quiet. That member himself chatters constantly throughout questions and is never pulled up. Now would the member please continue. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Can the Minister explain why trying to shut down public criticism of this Government’s poor performance and track record in funding Auckland roads such as his smart alec trick of leaping in and registering a website name that the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) was going to use to wage a public campaign to show just how underfunded Auckland roads are benefits the poor struggling motorists stuck in congestion every day of the week in Auckland? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: This Government does not have a record of underspending; it has a record of record spending. But when the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern) decides to run a campaign against this Government using misinformation as evidenced by all its design work which was leaked and if it is sufficiently amateurish to not bother to register its website before it has announced it then it gets what it deserves. 
Peter Brown 
: Will the Minister tell us categorically whether he recognises there is any merit whatsoever in the Allen report—that is to say that efficient roading systems produce strong sound economic benefits for the country; does he acknowledge that at all? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I most certainly do which is why expenditure on State highways in Auckland this year is running at more than twice what it was at the change of Government. I make another point: motorways alone cannot get us out of trouble in Auckland any more than they have in Los Angeles. 
Deborah Coddington 
: Does he agree with the information given last week to himself and to the Minister of Finance Michael Cullen on the construction of Auckland’s roading network—information given to him at a meeting by Labour Party president and Transit board member Mike Williams who stated that: “Transit has started work on all roading projects that were ready to go as at March 2004.” despite the fact that according to Transit’s own information nine major projects have not yet been started—and if he does not agree with that information can he tell the House what the true situation is regarding the Auckland roading network? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Transit New Zealand offers New Zealand a 10-year plan as does Land Transport New Zealand. They did so in 2004 and 2005 and they will do so in 2006. It is self-evident that a 10-year plan cannot all be started at once. 
Keith Locke 
: What reports has the Minister seen on traffic congestion in Auckland? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Two recent reports: the first is on the success of walking school buses in reducing congestion; the second proposes to remove all school zoning which all by itself would cause gridlock in Auckland except in school holidays. The first is the result of the Government working together with the Greens. The gridlock comes courtesy of the National Party. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Can the Minister confirm that the additional money for land transport in Auckland has helped to fund the double-tracking of the western rail line and further busways; and that those are proving much more cost effective than the now-defunct eastern highway ever would have been in reducing congestion? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Yes I can and I can further say that in the life of this Government 50 Aucklanders a week have made the shift to public transport. That figure is likely to increase. 
Larry Baldock 
: Does the Minister agree that more progress could be made in Auckland if so many Green members were not constantly protesting over good road initiatives in the region and holding up delaying and adding extra to the cost of those projects that could alleviate some of the congestion in Auckland? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I am not aware of any Green protests in Auckland but if the member has information I would be pleased to receive it. 
Keith Locke 
: Has the Minister seen any reports of how the North Shore busway currently under construction will ease congestion and improve travel times for commuters? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: The North Shore busway will have a remarkable effect on North Shore transport. Northern suburbs will soon have up to 40 percent more peak-hour bus services to choose from. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority established by this Government intends to add about 475 more trips per day. That represents a 28 percent daily boost to existing North Shore and Hibiscus Coast bus services. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: What reports has the Minister seen on plans to stop new spending on passenger transport and what impact would that have in Wellington? 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: I have seen a report that transport spending should go only on roads. In Wellington that would lead in short order to a collapse of local rail and bus services which carry around 30 percent of commuters and it would therefore lead to instant gridlock. The report of course is another one out of the National Party stable. 
Deborah Coddington 
: I seek leave to table a letter from Michael Barnett of the Auckland Regional Chamber of Commerce to Michael Cullen setting out how the Transit board member Mike Williams had misled the meeting he was at and attached to that a chart setting out when the actual projects had and had not been started. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I need assistance from the Chair because we now have a Minister saying that the National Party has said it would stop all funding for public transport. I am the transport spokesman I know what is on our website and what is in our press releases and we have never at any stage said we would stop the money for public passenger transport. 
Hon PETE HODGSON 
: Speaking to the point of order Madam Speaker I take the member at his word. If that is the case I withdraw and apologise. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Thank you.