10. Question No. 10—TransportHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 10—Transport10. Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with advice from Waka Kotahi that providing an additional Waitematā road crossing would result in over 3000 additional vehicles entering the city centre compared to a light rail - only crossing; if so will any of the options proposed which all include additional road lanes reduce congestion?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: On behalf of the Minister the Waitematā Harbour Connections programme is focused on delivering as quickly as possible a futureproof solution for people wanting to travel across the Waitematā by car bus light rail walking cycling or truck. The scenarios released today consider both the needs of Aucklanders to get into the city centre and also through the city. It is correct that Waka Kotahi's advice on one of the five options is as the member states with respect to the number of vehicles entering the city at the a.m. peak but they also advise that there will be a reduction in congestion in that option. In answer to the second part of the member's question updated private vehicle demand projections will be provided when the preferred option is confirmed in mid-2023. However as I say the indicative work on the option the member has raised shows that congestion will be reduced.Hon Julie Anne Genter: How will congestion be reduced if there are additional cars on the roads at peak time?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: It's not just a peak-time analysis as I'm sure the member well knows.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Does he agree with advice from Waka Kotahi that the road connections either side of the Auckland Harbour Bridge cannot carry any more private vehicle trips in the peak periods; if so how will adding further car lanes and introducing more vehicles into those roads help congestion in the city centre?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister the focus here is on the resilience of the entire network in the Auckland area. Obviously as I've already stated the focus is not just on people coming into the city; it is also on people going through the city. Also Auckland has seen in recent times the importance of resilience in the network including with regards to the harbour bridge itself which requires support to be able to continue to play its role. So it has to be an integrated solution that is adopted.Hon Julie Anne Genter: How can the public meaningfully engage on the options proposed without seeing their projected impact on tail-pipe emissions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: These are scenarios that the public can engage upon. There are frank assessments of them already both the pros and the cons of various options that people can engage with—and I'm sure Aucklanders will be keen to do so.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Why is such an outrageously expensive complex project with such a poor economic case—a benefit-cost ratio well below 0.5—a priority when we need to be investing urgently in projects that actually give New Zealanders low-carbon transport options right around the country?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I reject various assertions in that question. What's attempting to be done here is to make sure that we have an integrated transport plan for Aucklanders; one that will give certainty to them and those that will help construct it and one that does support the Government's overall goals that include the work around climate action but also include making sure that we provide resilient cities.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Point of order. I seek leave to table the most recent benefit-cost analysis for these options which is 0.2 and 0.3.SPEAKER: Is that publicly available?Hon Julie Anne Genter: It doesn't seem like the Ministers have read it.SPEAKER: The member will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Stand withdraw and apologise for presenting facts.SPEAKER: I'm considering what I'm going to do. That was deliberate. The member will leave the Chamber.Hon Julie Anne Genter withdrew from the Chamber.