10. Question No. 10—TransportCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 10—Transport10. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of Transport: Does he stand by his statement on 7 December 2017 But I want to make it clear that it is not the role of the Minister of Transport to prioritise particular roading projects" and have any roading projects in the transport component of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme been prioritised? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: Yes I stand by my statement in the context it was given. In answer to the second part of the question all of the roading projects in the New Zealand Upgrade Programme are a priority for this Government. That's why we funded them. Chris Bishop: Was the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission involved in the selection of the projects to prioritise and if so how? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister the main responsibility for the identification of projects was as you would expect with the New Zealand Transport Agency. As the Minister said in the House yesterday he had conversations with the Minister of Finance around the projects. I would have to get back to the member on the exact role of the Infrastructure Commission but it would have been a minor advisory one if there were one. Chris Bishop: When did Auckland Transport find out about the transport projects selected as part of the Upgrade Programme? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister the member will have to put that question down in writing to give him a specific time and date. Chris Bishop: Why is the South Island receiving less than 5 percent of the nearly $7 billion committed to transport projects in the Upgrade Programme? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister the Upgrade Programme represents additional spending on top of the already impressive rate of spending through the National Land Transport Fund of around $3.5 billion in the South Island. I know that in the Canterbury community where some concerns have been raised $1.5 billion is going there from the National Land Transport Fund. So these projects are in addition to what is already being done. Chris Bishop: Did the Government consider prioritising the East-West Link project in Auckland as part of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme and when will the Government announce a decision on that important project? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister that was not a project that was included in the considerations. Obviously it remains a project on the books. The concern that this Government has previously had is that that was going to be per kilometre one of the most expensive roads in the world. That project obviously can be relooked at as time and resources allow. Chris Bishop: Why should New Zealanders have any confidence in the ability of the Government to actually deliver these projects when Ministers in the Government have spent years criticising the projects they say they are now prioritising? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister there is one very important reason why New Zealanders can have confidence in the projects in the New Zealand Upgrade Programme: we've actually funded them. SPEAKER: Question No. 11 Marja Lubeck. [Interruption] And I just will say to the member that now we have one member from north of Auckland being relatively quiet there's not a need for another one to replace him."