Hodgson Pete: Transport Legislation Bill — Second Reading 
Hodgson Pete: Transport Legislation Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:621;Page:16731] 
Hon PETE HODGSON (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 I move  
That the Transport Legislation Bill be now read a second time 
. I would like to thank the members of the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee for the excellent work they have done on this bill. Regulation of the civil aviation land transport and maritime transport sectors is carried out under the Civil Aviation Act the Land Transport Act and the Maritime Transport Act. This bill amends all those Acts. 
The select committee listened very carefully to the submissions that were received and has made a number of changes to the bill as a result. I support those changes. This is an important bill. The Government is committed to achieving the New Zealand Transport Strategy’s vision of an affordable integrated safe responsive and sustainable transport system by 2010. The Government’s achievement of this vision will see New Zealand moving again. 
This bill implements key recommendations of the Government’s transport sector review. The review is conducted to ensure that the Crown transport sector is well placed to help the Government to achieve its transport vision. The bill as introduced contained measures to broaden the objectives and functions of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Maritime Safety Authority to align with the New Zealand Transport Strategy to dissolve the Land Transport Safety Authority and Transfund New Zealand and replace them with a new Crown land transport entity—Land Transport New Zealand—and to integrate safety funding with other land transport funding. 
It was pleasing to see that most submissions supported the bill albeit with some qualifications. I take this opportunity to discuss some of the changes made to the bill by the select committee as a result of the submissions received. The transport sector review recommended that the focus of the various transport entities be expanded beyond safety to the broader approach in the New Zealand Transport Strategy. However the review also emphasised the need to ensure that safety remained an important priority. The committee heard from a number of submitters who although generally supporting the broadened focus of the New Zealand Transport Strategy were concerned that the bill diluted the focus on safety. 
The committee took these concerns very seriously. It has therefore recommended a number of changes to ensure that there is no doubt that safety remains a priority for the Minister and the transport entities. I endorse these recommendations. Among a number of technical changes to clarify the hierarchy between the Minister’s objectives and functions and those of the transport entities the committee has recommended that the Minister be given a new function under the various Acts to promote safety. This new function would mirror the functions of the transport entities which must also promote safety. 
As well the committee has recommended that the criteria that the Minister must take into account when establishing rules be strengthened with regard to safety. These criteria list a number of factors that the Minister must take into account including the costs that particular rules might impose on the industries that are subject to the rules. Rather than taking into account the need to assist safety the committee has proposed that the Minister take into account the need to maintain and improve safety. The committee has also recommended some refinements to the powers of the various directors who have regulatory functions under the various Acts. 
In addition to the changes suggested in this safety context the committee has also recommended a number of clarifications to take into account the fact that in the future rules will be made for purposes other than safety. A significant policy initiative of this bill is to integrate safety funding with other land transport funding through amendments to the Land Transport Management Act. To achieve this integration the requirement for a safety administration programme is being replaced by a new requirement for Land Transport New Zealand to complete a land transport programme. Land Transport New Zealand’s land transport programme would contain all those activities that it and the New Zealand Police wish to undertake including those previously contained in the safety administration programmes—for example safety information campaigns and road policing. 
The funding of this programme will then be determined in the broader context of land transport funding decisions made by the new entity. In the interests of promoting integration the bill allows approved organisations such as local authorities to include Land Transport New Zealand’s proposed activities in their land transport programmes. This means that proposed activities of Land Transport New Zealand and the New Zealand Police can be considered in the context of and at the same time as the activities being considered by approved organisations. 
Approved organisations must consult on their land transport programmes as must Land Transport New Zealand on its programmes. The committee wanted to make it clear that Land Transport New Zealand need not consult on any activity included in an approved organisation’s land transport programme. 
The committee has also recommended a new name for the Maritime Safety Authority. Instead of the name proposed in the bill the committee has recommended the name “Maritime New Zealand”. The committee has also recommended that the name change be delayed until 1 July 2005. The new name is broad enough to encompass safety while encompassing broader maritime objectives. Some submitters were concerned that a name change could compromise the Maritime Safety Authority’s relationship with industry. The delay in changing the name is sensible because it will ensure that the change process can be managed well and allows plenty of time to communicate the new name to the industry. 
I intend to move amendments in the Committee stage and to lodge a Supplementary Order Paper at an appropriate time. One amendment by way of a Supplementary Order Paper will give the Minister responsible for the Maritime Transport Act the additional function of protecting the marine environment. Another amendment clarifies that the regional land transport committees must have a membership that reflects the balance of the five objectives of the Land Transport Management Act and that people appointed to represent those objectives should come from the wider regional community rather than from regional councils or territorial authorities. 
Once again I thank the select committee for the work it has done on this bill.