10. Question No. 10—TransportSIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 10—Transport10. SIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Transport: What reports if any has he seen on whether New Zealanders supported his draft Government Policy Statement which could have reprioritised annual road maintenance funding towards bus lanes and cycleways and has he been advised that New Zealanders would prefer to see that money spent on repairing potholes across the State highway network?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): In the first instance I reject the characterisation in the member's question. The Government has not issued a draft Government policy statement (GPS) on transport Cabinet has not considered a draft Government policy statement on transport and nor have officials even completed the exercise of writing a draft Government policy statement on transport for me to finalise and to send to Cabinet. Secondly the member is wrong that the Government has or will reprioritise road maintenance investment. In fact our Government has increased road maintenance investment by approximately 50 percent over the levels that were in place under the previous National-ACT Government. And thirdly I reject the member's view that our transport system should not invest in transport choices for New Zealanders such as the Northwestern Busway Improvements that member has previously expressed support for. In a climate crisis we need to invest in repairing the network after the devastating storms recently we need to build a resilient network for the future but we also have to invest in the choices that will help to reduce carbon emissions in a climate crisis.Simon Court: Why then at 7 a.m. on Monday did he defend the plan to reprioritise up to $2 billion per year of road maintenance funding into cycleways and bus lanes at the expense of car parks and traffic lanes but then announce at 2 p.m. the plan would instead focus on resilience?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The member is entirely mischaracterising my comments. The documents that the member is referring to were guidance which was sent to local government in late 2022 which set out key Government priorities as we move into the Government policy statement period of consideration in 2023. That included a strong focus on maintenance it included reducing emissions and it included a focus on resilience. The member is probably aware that in January and February of 2023 large parts of the North Island experienced devastating weather events which have caused huge damage to the transport network. We will invest through the GPS in doing all of the things that are important. We will invest in rebuilding that network we will continue to increase our maintenance but we will also invest in those measures which will reduce our emissions. I know for some on that side of the House taking action on climate change is not something that they support but it's something that our Government is committed to.Simon Court: Was it the effects of Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle that led to the Minister realising that transport network resilience was important enough to do a U-turn on his draft GPS or was it the overwhelming public rejection of his attempt to force people out of their cars in the hours after his appearance on Mike Hosking's breakfast show that led to the U-turn?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The rhetoric from the member in his question and some others at this time as we are committed to rebuilding the transport networks of devastated areas in which they set up a false choice between supporting the recovery in regional New Zealand and investing in climate-friendly infrastructure is a false choice. It is ignorant of the challenge that we face in respect of reducing our emissions it is divisive and it is not one that will find favour from New Zealanders. New Zealanders expect us to invest in restoring the network. That's why we invested $250 million to make sure that we get road and rail connections restored. But New Zealanders also expect us to look to the future and invest in reducing our emissions so that our kids and grandkids don't face more devastating events like the ones we've just experienced.Simon Court: Was the Minister aware that Waka Kotahi in 2020 published a document identifying 40 extreme" and 143 "major" resilience risks to the State highway network and if so why does he prioritise the ideological projects like an Auckland Harbour bike bridge light rail and forcing people out of cars and on to cycles and walking?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Once again the member sets up a false choice between investing in a resilient network and investing in climate-friendly infrastructure. I am certainly aware of that information provided by Waka Kotahi and that is why as I said our Government has increased investment in the maintenance of our network by 50 percent. Between 2016 2017 and 2021 we increased investment in State highway maintenance in the Gisborne area by 90 percent in the Hawke's Bay by 62 percent and in Northland by 117 percent. But at the same time we'll take the advice from Waka Kotahi the independent Climate Change Commission and others that we urgently need to give people transport choices to reduce congestion and emissions in our growing urban centres. Again I note that the member when it suits him supports investments like the Northwestern Busway Improvements but then for the sake of cheap politics sets up this false choice in this discussion.Simon Court: Is the Minister aware that ACT has published 15 Urgent Ideas for Recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle and will he commit to using this guide to come up with some ideas to reprioritise funding towards rather than away from resilience in the transport network?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I am certainly aware of that document and some of the ideas within it. One that I am aware of is the proposal to reduce the real wages of minimum wage workers and if the other ideas are as stupid and callous as that I won't be paying it any attention at all.Simon Court: Point of order. The question was quite clear: is the Minister going to commit to reprioritising funding towards rather than away from a safe and efficient transport system as described in this document?Hon Kieran McAnulty: Speaking to the point of order?SPEAKER: No I don't need that. No you are the master of your own—the answer. You brought in the document and the Minister responded to it."