Parker David: Third Readings 
Parker David: Third Readings 
[Volume:622;Page:17239] 
DAVID PARKER (Labour—Otago) 
: 
 I am pleased to rise in support of the third reading of this transport legislation. In dealing with the last point raised by the previous speaker I say that I too am pleased to see improvements in the coordination of search and rescue services. As the member is probably quite aware the present and previous Ministers of Transport addressed that matter following the local member expressing his concerns about the coordination of a search and rescue effort off Kakanui that was less than desirable as a consequence of which there were some delays in the dispatch of helicopters. If there had not been any delays that might—or might not—have led to a different outcome for that rescue. 
But more important this legislation assists in meeting the Government’s five objectives in respect of transport. The first is to assist economic development. We need a smooth transportation system of course to ensure that our products get to port and then further afield in the most cost-effective and safe way possible. The second objective is to assist safety and personal security. Our third objective is to improve access and mobility for all people. The fourth is to promote and protect public health. Obviously we do not want to undermine public health through inappropriate transportation systems. Last and allied to that we want to ensure the environmental sustainability of our transport system. 
Will this work and has the transport strategy that the Government embarked on over the last few years been working? I think two recent instances give good examples of progress being made. One was the purchase back by the Crown of an interest in rail at the same time that Toll Holdings took over ownership of Tranz Rail. That company of course promised to invest substantial amounts in rolling stock in consideration of the Government contributing money to the upgrade of the rail network and we have seen that strategy begin to bear fruit in the minimising of the costs of road transport. The Minister of Transport in question time today made reference to the announcement made by Fonterra and Toll Holdings—or Tranz Rail—last week. Fonterra announced that it is moving some tens of thousands of tonnes of dairy produce by rail from its major factories in the North Island directly to ports. I think—and the Minister can correct me if I have the number wrong—that 45000— 
Hon Pete Hodgson 
: 45000 truck movements. 
DAVID PARKER 
 —truck movements a year will be avoided through the increased volume of freight that is being transported by rail— 
Hon Pete Hodgson 
: And there’s more of that to come. 
DAVID PARKER 
: There are many more examples like that as the Minister points out. That proves that the Government’s integrated approach to transport in New Zealand is working. In addition to the increased movements by rail there have been recent announcements of barging of aggregate to major metropolitan centres being used to avoid road transport. Again that is a cost-effective environmentally sustainable way of transporting goods that decreases the load on the road network and that makes our roads more pleasant to use as drivers do not have to contend with as many trucks. It also makes good economic sense because we do not have to build extra road infrastructure; the volumes of freight that are being taken through other modes of transport like rail and barging do not have to be catered for by the roading system. 
We have also seen progress on the motorway system in Auckland. A large number of projects are now under way including some long-overdue linking of the motorway system and the traffic is starting to move a little bit more freely in Auckland. But there is still some way to go up there. 
One of the things that the Minister of Transport and the Prime Minister have taken an interest in is the need for equitable spreading of the transport funding throughout the different regions of New Zealand. I know that the road funding formula that was previously used by Transfund put too much weight on safety issues the effect of which was that if people were stuck in a traffic jam in Auckland that traffic jam might have been terribly inefficient it might have caused unnecessary pollution and it might have hamstrung the Auckland economy but it was not a problem because there were no safety considerations in terms of people being stuck in traffic jams. As a consequence the Government has changed the funding formula so that it has regard to things other than safety. 
Initially in the first re-cut of budgets by Transfund the weighting went almost exclusively to Auckland. Again the Minister and Prime Minister intervened and said that was not fair either. One injustice is not cured by the creation of another. So the Government through its policy framework ensured there was an equitable funding formula that ensures that all regions of New Zealand like my own province of Otago—and including Auckland but not only Auckland—get a fair share of the revenue. We see that coming through in more passing lanes better bridges and wider and safer roads. We are also seeing contributions to public transportation in an effort again to give people alternatives to driving with just one person in a car at a time. We are seeing advances in public transport particularly in the larger metropolitan centres. 
So I commend the Minister for this legislation. I also agree with him that the select committee made some significant improvements to the form of the legislation. Other parties contributed to the legislation as well and I thank them for it.