Mapp Wayne: Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Mapp Wayne: Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:618;Page:14058] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
: 
 What a pathetic speech that last one was. Obviously the member has not read the bill because if she had she would know how inadequate it is. The Government talks about its integrated transport strategy and about bringing people together and one would think the bill would reflect that. Unfortunately when we distil the bill we find that all it does is rename existing institutions. 
Why do I say that? Currently in Auckland—or at least until tomorrow—there is the Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee which was put together by the Auckland Regional Council and has on it representatives from each of the local authorities. In addition there is Infrastructure Auckland and the Auckland Regional Transport Network Ltd. Those are the three regional entities. What this bill does and all it does is rename Infrastructure Auckland as Auckland Regional Holdings—a dramatic move I guess in the eyes of the Government. Secondly it effectively renames the Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee as the Auckland Regional Transport Authority. That is all the bill does. So for years the Government has laboured to produce this dramatic measure and believes it will fix the problem. That is the Government’s serious intent. It has seduced and cajoled New Zealand First— 
Jim Peters 
: Rubbish—absolute rubbish! 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: What does that member mean—“rubbish”? New Zealand First and United Future members have been seduced and cajoled into supporting what has to be one of the most pathetic attempts at regional reorganisation this Parliament has ever had to witness. Some people have been asking—particularly United Future members—what National’s plan is. 
We have been saying very clearly what our plan is and members who heard the submissions know that it has the endorsement of the local authorities. That is where they want to get to. At best they see this Government’s mishmash of an effort as a small step towards it. What they want is the plan announced last month by Dr Brash and it is very clear: a single organisation that brings together central government regional government and local government and that has both planning and funding responsibilities. That is what our city needs—a simple plan clear directions and completion of the network. 
We must get the structure right—and this Parliament has only one opportunity in each 3-year period unless the Government intends to visit this again next year which seems unlikely—because it has been talked about for years in Auckland and unless it is done we simply will not see completion. I would not be surprised to hear the Government proudly proclaim that the completion of State Highway 20 will occur in 2020. That is the sort of time frame it has in mind for completing the network. It simply will not do. 
National has a clear plan. We want to simplify the structure. We want to bring together central regional and local government the territorial local authorities and the funding and planning schemes so that we get progress. That is the bill the Government should have put up. If it had done that it would have had support. If the Government had put up that coherent plan—the one that is actually desired by Auckland—then it could have had support. But we will not support the pathetic half-baked attempt that the Government so proudly proclaims as its solution. 
What will the strategic plan look like for Auckland? Everyone is clear about that. Even the Government occasionally acknowledges it. Everyone would concede—and I know that my colleague Mr Dail Jones who will be speaking shortly knows—that Auckland wants completion of the motorway network. Aucklanders do not want to wait 10 or 20 years. The amount of $1.6 billion over 10 years simply will not do it. They want public-private partnerships and they want action. They want the completion of the strategic motorway network and that does include the eastern highway because when the network is completed the traffic will flow. 
This is not just about private cars or trucks and vans doing deliveries around the city; it is also about public transport. The major component of public transport in Auckland is buses and they have to use the roads. They need to take part in the overall network. Rail has a limited place. Ironically I would concede that Britomart would work better if there were some form of limited loop so trains do not come in and then have to back out. That is half the problem of rail not working efficiently. When will people develop some form of loop—maybe one that would go under the university and back to Parnell—to get the flow that would make the railway system work efficiently? That is what we need to do. Trains need to go in one direction rather than come into the station and have to back up thereby jamming the system. 
The Associate Minister of Transport Harry Duynhoven well knows what I am talking about. I am talking about traffic flows and getting a one-way flow in the system. That is the kind of integrated approach required and that the bill absolutely fails to provide. It simply does not put in place the structural approach that brings central government together. So that is National’s plan. It is clear it is straightforward and it is exactly what Auckland wants. 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: No plans no policy. 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: If the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues actually listened to people instead of giving them lectures she would get a very clear message from them. Their message is that they want to have a single structure to get on with the job—at least that is the real message they would give her—and to complete the system. There was an opportunity here. The Government had an opportunity and has simply failed to take it. Those are the sorts of issues that this Parliament should be able to deal with by consensus. Not everything in Parliament should divide us. But to have that situation the Government has to listen to the people and to the clear voice of Auckland. 
When Mr Peters says that the local authorities and entities give the bill qualified support he knows full well that the real objective they have is a single entity. That question was asked of them and in each and every case they said that that is what they wanted. Unfortunately all we have is this half-baked solution which they felt was better than zero. I suspect it will be proved to be no better than zero and Parliament will be back in about 18 months’ time—after the election when National is in office—and we will provide the real solution. We will provide the money and a real opportunity for public-private partnerships and we will spend the $250 million that has sat in the kitty because of the Government’s mishmash of planning—and that includes fixing the Resource Management Act. This bill is a lost opportunity. Only National can fix it.