4. Transport Infrastructure—Fuel Tax Increase Proposals and Fuel PriceJAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister of TransportTransport Infrastructure—Fuel Tax Increase Proposals and Fuel Price4. JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister of Transport: Does he remain committed to his proposals for new and increased fuel taxes in light of recent reports of petrol prices reaching record highs; if so what consideration if any will he give to the increased cost of living his fuel tax proposals will have on New Zealand families?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): I am committed to striking—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Order! Can I ask—Ms Bennett can you just wait at least until the Minister's started answering before you start your interjections. Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I am committed to striking a balance between affordability and taking urgent action on the transport infrastructure deficit that we inherited. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment estimates that the changes to fuel taxes will see an average family in Auckland pay an extra $5 per week. By contrast our Government's Families Package will put $75 a week into the pockets of 384000 low to middle income families. In terms of considering the impact of taxes on fuel prices I intend to follow the same process as the Hon Simon Bridges did in 2015. Jami-Lee Ross: If petrol prices continue to increase will he revisit his proposals to increase fuel taxes which will raise petrol prices even higher? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: International oil price fluctuations have a far greater influence on petrol prices than the policy of the previous Government and this Government of regular small excise increases. As successive Governments have shown it makes no sense to make major infrastructure investment decisions based on highly volatile oil price fluctuations. [Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm just going to ask Mr Hudson and Mr Stuart Smith just to turn their volume down a little bit. Marja Lubeck: What reports has he seen of past Governments varying the amount of fuel tax levied to match variations in the global oil prices? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: None. Jami-Lee Ross: Is he concerned that the rising cost of petrol will increase even further if he is successful in increasing fuel taxes by up to 25c a litre?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well as I've tried to make abundantly clear to the member the increase in fuel excise is a very very small increase compared to oil price fluctuations. And I would point out to the member that instead of paying $400 million to the wealthiest 10 percent this Government's putting—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Jami-Lee Ross: Is he saying that his proposal to increase fuel taxes in Auckland by up to 25c a litre—as he's announced—is small? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well what I would point out is that 25c is the maximum rate that was consulted on in the draft Government policy statement. It's not necessarily the rate that we're going to settle on. It applies only in Auckland where the regional fuel tax is in place not to the rest of the country. The reason that we are investing in our transport system is because we've inherited a legacy of an infrastructure deficit after nine years of totally unbalanced transport policies. We're committed to doing the right thing for this country and the right thing for the economy. Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question earlier was ruled out because we were referring to 2017 yet the Minister seems to be able to make comment about the last nine years as he wishes to and I'm just asking for some clarification.SPEAKER: I have a feeling the member's trying to relitigate a ruling I made quite some time ago. I think I will ignore it.Hon David Bennett: Oh you can't do that. You just ignore things.Marja Lubeck: What lessons will the Minister take from past increases of fuel excise while international petrol prices were high?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: In 2015 the fuel excise was increased after petrol prices increased by 40c per litre. Prices later stabilised and returned to $1.70 per litre by the end of that year 2015. I've learnt from that experience that you cannot make infrastructure investment decisions based on international oil price fluctuations. They're simply too volatile. I learnt also from the former transport Minister that those fluctuations dwarf the changes in the fuel excise.SPEAKER: Order! David Bennett will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon David Bennett: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No the member knows absolutely that he interjected an unparliamentary remark in my direction during the asking of the supplementary question. Hon David Bennett: And what for? Why do I withdraw and apologise?SPEAKER: Sorry?Hon David Bennett: Why do I withdraw and apologise Mr Speaker?SPEAKER: Why?Hon David Bennett: Yes.SPEAKER: Because the member made an unparliamentary remark and it was exacerbated by the fact that it was done during the asking of a supplementary question.Hon David Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What was the unparliamentary remark?SPEAKER: I'm not going to repeat what the member said about me. Withdraw and apologise.Hon David Bennett: Mr Speaker I need an explanation—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will withdraw and apologise now or I will take more serious action than has happened in the House for quite some time. Is the member going to withdraw and apologise? Hon Paula Bennett: Point of order.SPEAKER: No I'm not having a point of order. I am waiting for Mr Bennett to decide whether he will comply with my instruction to withdraw and apologise for reflecting on the Chair while a supplementary question was being asked. Is the member going to withdraw and apologise?Hon David Bennett: Point of order.SPEAKER: No I'm not having a point of order Mr Bennett. You're either going to withdraw and apologise or I will name you. [Interruption] Order!Hon David Bennett: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: Thank you.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Sorry sir but it is in reflection to me yesterday having to withdraw and apologise. I genuinely do not know what it was for. I did not make a comment as I left and this is leading to this kind of disorder when we don't know what the actual line is as to what you find offensive and what you don't. I've looked at Hansard. I know what I said as I left. I made no disparaging remarks about you last night and this leads to my colleagues in a position now where—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. The member will resume her seat. If she wants an explanation for how she breached the Standing Orders yesterday I suggest she watches the TV either on Parliament TV or on at least one of the news channels to see herself interjecting on her feet as she left.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: Is it a new point of order Mr Brownlee—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Yes.SPEAKER: —or is it a relitigation?Hon Gerry Brownlee: No it's a new point of order. People might like to look at the TVNZ clip that's currently running of a member challenging the Speaker on frequent occasions and ultimately being required to leave the House and being quite messy all the way through. On none of those occasions was the member named. My question simply is: why do we go suddenly from a position where the Speaker does not want to apparently make people leave the House does not explain what an offence might be but then simply requires people to accept the arbitrary decision of the Chair or be named which everyone knows is quite an extreme step for anyone in this House? It seems the step that—we've gone from a very very simple straightforward position of how you deal with these things to one that is quite Draconian. And I think that is the problem we've got with the inconsistency of the way the Chair's operating at the present time.SPEAKER: I note the member's comments but as the member knows well naming is—I think Standing Order 90—the punishment for being grossly disorderly. And refusing to withdraw and apologise for quite an extended period of time is grossly disorderly. Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: If it's the same matter Ms Bennett you're running a serious risk of losing a number of supplementary questions from your team from the first Tuesday back.Hon Paula Bennett: So to be clear Mr Speaker what I wish to be is actually not unruly in this House. So I need clarification that it was yesterday when I said It's a waste of time" that you took such offence to that I had to come back and—well when I came back you insisted that I withdraw—SPEAKER: That's exactly right. If the member had not said that she was leaving the House I would have required her to withdraw and apologise then. But seeing as she was self-banishing herself I thought that that was the best way of dealing with it and we could get on with business. I did reflect to the member later on that on a previous occasion when I had done exactly the same thing—made a comment as I was self-banishing—the Speaker sent for me and made me come back and apologise and then booted me out again. The member was treated pretty leniently.Hon David Bennett: Yeah didn't get named though.SPEAKER: Order!Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: Order! Order! No the member will resume her seat. Mr Bennett will withdraw and apologise again.Hon David Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No. The member will withdraw and apologise.Hon David Bennett: I just want to table a withdrawal because I might as well be using it all the time the way the House is going at the moment.SPEAKER: So the member's declining to withdraw and apologise?Hon David Bennett: No I'm seeking your guidance—SPEAKER: No you're not seeking my guidance; you're going to withdraw and apologise.Hon David Bennett: Mr Speaker what for? I just—I need to know what I did wrong.SPEAKER: Mr Bennett you reflected on the Chair on my ruling—again. I mean the member understands what he does. He is not an unintelligent member. It's not something that happens accidentally. But the member should be able to remember sort of 30 seconds after he made a comment that he did. The member will withdraw and apologise.Hon David Bennett: [Member pauses] I withdraw and apologise sir.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Is the Chair immune from the provisions of Standing Order 120?SPEAKER: Sorry can the member say that a little bit more loudly?Hon Gerry Brownlee: Yes—is the Chair immune from the provisions of Standing Order 120?SPEAKER: No.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Then isn't simply requiring members to withdraw and apologise without some explanation of the reason for that impugning improper motives against a member?SPEAKER: For goodness' sake! Mr Brownlee this has got to the point of being ridiculous the member is—[Interruption] Paula Bennett will leave the Chamber. [Interruption] The member will leave the Chamber.Hon Paula Bennett withdrew from the Chamber. SPEAKER: Now I've lost where we were at.Hon David Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think I'm next up Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: Supplementary question—David Bennett.Hon David Bennett: No primary question."