8. Question No. 8—TransportCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Associate Minister of TransportQuestion No. 8—Transport8. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Associate Minister of Transport: Does she agree with transport Minister Phil Twyford's statement I received a letter from the Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter on the LGWM indicative package on 26 March 2019"; if not why not?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Transport): Kia orana Mr Speaker. I can confirm I sent the letter on that date.Chris Bishop: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question is does she agree with the statement not whether or not she sent a letter on that date—does she agree with her colleague's statement?SPEAKER: I think she's indicated that the letter the member talked about that was received that day was sent the same day. I think she's more than addressed it; she's answered it.Chris Bishop: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The statement by Minister Twyford is actually critical to this whole exchange and the preceding day's exchange because the critical point of Mr Twyford's statement is it refers to a letter from the Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter and she has claimed yesterday and on other occasions that reverted to fact that the letter was not sent as the Associate Minister of Transport. So whether or not she agrees with Mr Twyford's statement to the Parliament through a written question is actually of critical importance.SPEAKER: I think it's fair to say that she's indicated on multiple occasions by answering questions including those from his colleague Nicola Willis that in fact it was sent as Associate Minister of Transport; otherwise she would have said so.Chris Bishop: OK. Why did the Minister state yesterday in the House "I can confirm that the letter was written in my capacity as transport spokesperson for the Green Party." when we now know that she sent the letter as the Associate Minister of Transport?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Kia orana Mr Speaker. I can confirm that I am the Associate Minister of Transport. I am also the Green Party spokesperson on transport issues. Many Ministers before me and indeed all Ministers in successive Governments have held roles as MPs in some cases as party leaders and also as Ministers. I did say yesterday that I sent the letter and the content of the letter was political party consultation and that is why we consider that it is not in the public interest to release it.Chris Bishop: Was her 26 March 2019 letter to the Minister of Transport signed by her as Julie Anne Genter Associate Minister of Transport?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Kia orana Mr Speaker. Yes—[Interruption]—and of course it is nothing new for Ministers—SPEAKER: Order! Order! When I stand up the member sits down. As I've indicated this is an area which some of us have quite a lot of interest in and would like to hear the answers. If National Party members don't want to hear the answers they may leave.Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Should I answer? Well I've answered it.SPEAKER: I think the member has answered. She's certainly answered the question.Chris Bishop: Does she stand by her statement in Parliament last week "I can assure all members that the Government has nothing to hide." and if that's the case why will she not release her letter about a $6.4 billion transport project for Wellington?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Yes. The Government has nothing to hide. Indeed all of the inputs and public consultation about Let's Get Wellington Moving that led to the historic package that this Government has achieved are available on the website. The project package that has been announced has the support of every regional mayor the Greater Wellington Regional Council and all of the parties in this Government. I know the member is probably feeling a bit embarrassed that this Government managed to achieve what his Government never did in nine years.Chris Bishop: Why will she not release a letter written in her capacity as Associate Minister of Transport written on letterhead marking the Associate Minister of Transport and signed by her as Associate Minister of Transport to her senior colleague the Minister of Transport and is this the sort of transparency that we can expect from this Government going forward?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Kia orana Mr Speaker. As I've explained multiple times in this House to that member the letter detailed political consultation and we have accepted advice that we should not release the letter in line with the view of the Ombudsman expressed in June 2019 and that it is not in the public interest because we care about the ability of parties to undertake free and frank consultation. But the result of that consultation is public. The public can all see that finally Wellington is going to get a significant investment in rapid transit which was the number one issue raised in the public consultation under Let's Get Wellington Moving. All of that is in the public.Chris Bishop: Is it now the position of Green Party Ministers in the Government that Ministers or Associate Ministers can receive information in their capacity as a Minister answer written questions in their capacity as a Minister and write letters in their capacity as Associate Ministers to other Ministers and then not release that information to the public on the basis that they are Green Party MPs?SPEAKER: Order! I am going to ask the member to ask the question again because the Minister in her current capacity certainly does not have responsibility for other members of Parliament notwithstanding their party. And as the member is aware this is an issue which has been well covered over quite a long period of time including the time when he was advising a Minister.Chris Bishop: Thank you for that reference Mr Speaker. Is it her position as the Associate Minister of Transport that she can receive information in that capacity write letters to her senior colleagues about that information as the Associate Minister of Transport and sign it as so and then not release that information on the basis that political party consultation overrides those obligations?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I know the member is very excited about my stationery and letterheads—SPEAKER: Order! Look I did some work to get a straight question for the member; I think it ill behoves her then to start off with the sort of approach that we don't expect to come from that corner of the House.Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: It is entirely normal—indeed over successive Governments—that Ministers hold roles also as MPs and the decision that we've made about the public interest in the letter has to do with the content of the letter which was normal political consultation. I think the National Party is fishing for some sort of ability to criticise a package that clearly has universal support in Wellington."