Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Well after all of that noise I hope that I'll bring a bit of sense and calm to the Chamber. I'll tell you one thing: what I am heartened with is seeing a Government that isn't short-termist; that at last we're looking out to the future—not just three years not just 18 months but we're looking out for generations. You only have to look at what we are doing. I mean at last—where was the last Government? Only today I've been sitting on the Finance and Expenditure Committee considering the Infrastructure Commission a commission that will finally look at the structure of our infrastructure the huge deficit we've got and do some long-term planning—not just build six-lane motorways roads of national oblivion but rather we'll actually look at some alternative solutions. Yet you only have to look at what our fantastic Minister Minister Twyford has been doing recognising that building roads and 10 bridges to nowhere doesn't help. What we actually need—Hon Dr Nick Smith: Is that what Transmission Gully is?Dr DUNCAN WEBB: —is an integrated approach. Now at last—Dr Smith is over there yapping away as normal and I thought he'd be the first as a member of a region to recognise the importance of rail. After years and years of neglect rail is one of many areas that have been left to wreck and ruin. So what we have at last is a reinvestment back into rail.Hon Dr Nick Smith: National funded the new trains in Auckland.Dr DUNCAN WEBB: Hamilton to Auckland there's a good idea. Rather than driving backwards and forwards burning carbon needlessly at last we've got a Government that says Here's a good idea: let's use an existing rail line and put passengers on it."Hon Gerry Brownlee: Why hasn't it happened?Dr DUNCAN WEBB: "Move them faster and more"—that's right Mr Brownlee—"effectively." A sleek silver train—think about it. Something sleek—oh yes.Even in Christchurch you know my electorate is left with a legacy of a motorway from the north that's spewing cars into the middle of my electorate with no thought about what that's going to do— Hon Gerry Brownlee: It's Garry Moore's fault.Dr DUNCAN WEBB: And you know what—it's not Garry Moore's fault at all Mr Brownlee. Garry Moore stood firm against that and it was the last Government that finally dumped those cars out from the dormitory towns into Christchurch Central and now we have to manage it. But you know at least we've got a Minister of Transport and an Associate Minister who are doing a great job because do you know what they're putting first? It's safety. I've heard in question time the Opposition say "What are you doing about this? Why are you putting safety first?" We put safety first because lives matter. So it might be just a median barrier down Marshland Road or a separate cycleway but you know what? Looking after the people who are injured and who are killed—two in the past 10 years on that stretch of road and 13 seriously injured—that's why we're focusing on safety because it's the right thing to do.When we look at the fantastic plan for Wellington I'm almost jealous. If I didn't have such a fantastic city already I'd be jealous that Wellington was catching up too fast. The plan for Wellington is fantastic. It's great to put walking first. We need to recognise that walking is the primary means of transport; almost everyone does it almost every day. So a Wellington city where people choose to walk first is going to be a great city. I'll look forward to coming here but not too much.And of course cycleways: I'm really excited about the cycleways that we're seeing. Wellington needs more and better cycleways and we now have a plan that's—and I'll tell you what else is good about the Wellington plan. Something they've learnt no doubt from Christchurch is the joined-up approach: the fact that they've got their regional council on board their city council on board New Zealand Transport Agency on board and of course the Government right behind it all the way.This is a Government that's looking out to the long term. It is supporting local government and it's supporting other agencies and finding solutions that will last. We've got a lot of catching up to do. We've got a huge deficit. But we're taking the right steps in transport and elsewhere. We're putting an infrastructure commission in place. I'm so glad at last we've got a Government that cares about today tomorrow and the future. Thank you."