5. Question No. 5—TransportHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 5—Transport5. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Transport: What responsibility if any does he take for the findings of the Health Check final report on the Let's Get Wellington Moving programme?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): As I've said previously everyone has to take accountability for the fact that we haven't had the delivery that we want. I welcome the informal support that I've received from a number of members opposite for the response that I have taken to the report.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does that responsibility extend to the Minister who seemed to be distancing himself from any responsibility when the report came out?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: As I just said in my previous answer everyone needs to take accountability and my job as Minister is to send a clear direction that the Government expects this project to get back on track and deliver for the people of Wellington—something that the people of Wellington waited for nine long years for and never happened. I've sent that direction to all of the project partners and I'm very pleased that they've responded positively. [Interruption]Hon Michael Woodhouse: Shouldn't he first be looking in the mirror and demanding accountability of himself—[Interruption]—and his Government for his role—SPEAKER: Order! Now both sides while Mr Woodhouse has been asking questions have made noises: one on the previous question then on this one. I'm going to ask Mr Woodhouse to start that question again and remind Government members that they shouldn't imitate Opposition members in interjecting.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Shouldn't he be first looking in the mirror and demanding accountability of himself and his Government for their role in the failures highlighted in this report?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well I clearly look in the mirror less than some members in this Chamber but since the Health Check was received by me only one week ago I've already taken action requiring the project partners to come together within two weeks to meaningfully respond to the Health Check's recommendations.Hon Julie Anne Genter: How will he ensure that Let's Get Wellington Moving's $6.8 billion investment in transport is consistent with the Climate Commission's draft advice that urban areas should minimise car use and spend more on public and active transport and less on new roads?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I note that the core principles of Let's Get Wellington Moving include an imperative to support Wellingtonians to have real transport choices through better public transport walking and cycling. I also note that in the letter that I have sent to the project partners I've encouraged them to quickly advance work to deliver on better walking and cycling options and better public transport options.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does he seriously believe that two weeks is sufficient time to make decisions about how to spend more than $6 billion in tax- and ratepayer money?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well after that side of the House sat on their hands for nine years and did nothing to meet the transport challenges of Wellington it's no surprise that the member is suggesting that we should delay things further.Hon Member: What about Transmission Gully?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Transmission Gully—a project which we are busy cleaning up given the mess that that member left us. Two weeks is sufficient time for the project partners to get on with the job of responding to the recommendations that were made by the Health Check. Wellingtonians are very clear that we need action on this programme and I'm very pleased that in my conversations with both chair Ponter and Mayor Andy Foster they agree with the need to get on with the job and I think it would be helpful if others did as well.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Has the Government agreed to fund a second Mount Victoria tunnel as a priority for the Let's Get Wellington Moving programme?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: As the member will be aware the Let's Get Wellington Moving programme has a range of possible projects. We are currently awaiting detailed business case work to be done on a number of them before making decisions on how they proceed.Hon Michael Woodhouse: How can Wellingtonians have any confidence that their long-awaited transport system improvements won't go the way of Auckland light rail and KiwiBuild?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I'm very pleased by the positive response that I've received from a number of Wellingtonians to the direction that the Government has provided to this project including people such as the former Porirua mayor Nick Leggett who said We need to get cars off the road and we need a reliable fast mass-transit system"; Porirua Mayor Anita Baker who said "We've made some decisions and now we need to get on with it and do the work."; and Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy who said "We don't need to spend six months focusing on what we need to do we need to get some diggers [on] the ground." That is the approach that this Government intends to take."