3. Roading—ProjectsHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of TransportRoading—Projects3. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Transport: Which statement does he agree with: his statement in the House last week that no existing and funded roading project other than the East-West Link has been altered by the Government" or the Minister of Finance's reported comments in relation to roading priorities that "there are other priorities around New Zealand as well in terms of investing in rail and getting coastal shipping going improving our regional roads"?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): Both of them in the context in which they were made.Jami-Lee Ross: Can the Minister confirm that the construction of the Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative project in its current form is a priority for the Government?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: It's currently under consideration but I would expect it would be a priority.Todd Muller: Can the Minister confirm that the construction of the Tauranga Northern Link will commence as expected in 2018?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I want to make it clear that it's not the role of the Minister of Transport to prioritise particular roading projects because that would encourage pork-barrel politics. My message to the people of New Zealand is: don't believe scaremongering press releases from National backbenchers aligned with—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat.Lawrence Yule: Does the Minister support the four-laning of the Napier to Hastings expressway in light of Friday's briefing which shows that the port volumes of cargo at Napier Port are going to go up by 49 percent by 2026?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Actually there is an investigation of that stretch of road going on right now. The focus is safety improvements. The business case including recommendations on a preferred option is expected mid-2018. I would point out to the member that this—along with a number of other projects that were announced by the former Government in a press release—was never costed and never funded and no analysis of economic value was done on a single one of those projects.Tim van de Molen: Does the Minister consider the extension of the Waikato Expressway from Cambridge to the foot of the Kaimai Range more or less of a priority given its safety improvements than a rail connection through the Prime Minister's electorate?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: That's a line straight out of Judith Collins' press release if I'm not wrong.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I am going to advise the Minister to be direct in his answers. I'm trying very hard with both the askers and answerers to be straight and the member is not helping.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Thank you Mr Speaker. The investigation of Cambridge to Tīrau again is on safety and journey improvements. The business case will be expected in mid-2018. For the stretch of highway to the Kaimai Range similarly there's an investigation on freight efficiency resilience safety and travel time reliability requirements. This Government takes the view that high-quality high-value roading projects can be funded alongside investments in modern rapid transit systems in our city. It's not an either/or. Marja Lubeck: What is the current state of the Accelerated Regional State Highway Programme introduced in 2014?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well in the current three-year cycle the fund has delivered $70 million less investment in regional State highways than was promised. Similarly investment in local roads under that programme has been $45 million less than promised. Understandably this has fuelled scepticism of the Opposition's new-found commitment to regional roads."