9. Transport South Island—Government Investment and Industrial Action at Lyttelton PortJAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister of TransportTransport South Island—Government Investment and Industrial Action at Lyttelton Port9. JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) to the Minister of Transport: What actions is he taking to ensure the reliability of transport links for the South Island?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): The Government has an ambitious agenda for investment in transport in the South Island after a decade of neglect and poor-quality spending that has cost—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume his seat. I'm going to require the member to start again and to address the question.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: The Government has an ambitious agenda for investment in transport in the South Island. The soon to be released Government Policy Statement on Land Transport will see a shift in priorities towards safety regional roads local roads road maintenance and other investments that will benefit the South Island.Jami-Lee Ross: Why is he staying silent as hard-working New Zealanders are having their livelihoods disrupted by ongoing strike action at Lyttelton Port?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well workplace relations are matters for my colleague the Hon Iain Lees-Galloway. However I am advised that the dispute at Lyttelton Port is occurring under the current employment law settings passed by the former Government and that indications of a resolution of the dispute are hopeful.Jami-Lee Ross: Can we take it from his silence in this matter that after six strikes and six no-shows from this Minister he actually supports the strike action at Lyttelton Port?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I don't want to see—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Sorry I'm going to ask the member to repeat the question. I'm just trying to work out whether the Minister actually has responsibility.Jami-Lee Ross: Well it flows from the supplementary answer.SPEAKER: No whether he has responsibility. Just because it flows from his answer it doesn't mean he's got responsibility.Jami-Lee Ross: Can we take it from his silence as Minister of Transport that after six strikes and six no-shows from this Minister in regards to strikes in his portfolio he actually supports the strike action at Lyttelton Port?SPEAKER: Only just.Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I don't want to see industrial action disrupting the transport system especially when under our policy we're about to invest more than ever in a modern transport system and I urge the parties to reach an amicable settlement and build a modern and collaborate approach to industrial relations.Jami-Lee Ross: If the Minister feels that way will he speak to the parties involved to try and find a quick solution or will he continue to allow millions of dollars of goods to be held to ransom by this union?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Transport sector unions and employers are well aware of my views on this. I don't believe it's my role as transport Minister to wade into the middle of every industrial dispute and I think it's odd that the member seems to be advocating something like that particularly after the Ports of Auckland dispute which went on for two years and that Government never lifted a finger.