Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 09 April 2014. Volume:697;Page:17045. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First)to the Minister of Transport: Does he have confidence in KiwiRail following the most recent incidents involving the Aratere and now the Stena Alegra; if so why?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport):Had the member asked me a question relating to my overall satisfaction with KiwiRail’s recent performance he might have got a different answer but what I can say is that given the importance of KiwiRail to the transport task in New Zealand I am confident that KiwiRail’s management is dealing with the recent incidents affecting the Aratere and the Stena Alegra appropriately.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Bearing in mind the original question that I asked the Minister how can he possibly have confidence in KiwiRail when the Aratere has now been found to have cracks in its rudder stock following its propeller falling off into Cook Strait earlier this year while its replacement ship the Stena Alegra—much vaunted by the Minister—is now sitting with a gash in its hull having crashed into the wharf yesterday?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Well I think the first point is that the issues relating to the Aratere are being dealt with satisfactorily in Singapore. There is no other choice. It lost a propeller we have got to find out why and we have got to fix it. Of course while—Rt Hon Winston Peters: You know why—you stretched it.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The member says that he knows why. Well I tell you what he probably knows where MH370 is as well. He should tell the House and the world that one. He is an expert on almost anything nautical or aeronautical—Mr SPEAKER: Would the Minister just answer the question.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: When it comes to the issue with the Stena Alegra the KiwiRail management was not at the helm when it happened and in time we will find out exactly why it did crash into the wharf.Rt Hon Winston Peters: If the Stena Alegra is out of operation due to the gash in its hull and the Stena Alegra uses 20 times as much lubricant as the other ferries indicating a serious engine issue does he believe KiwiRail will need to get a replacement ship for the replacement ship?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: No.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is he telling the House that after these incidents—the Arahura missing sailings because of engine problems in April; the Arahura out of action due to cracks in the stern door in February; the Arahura having a lifeboat out of service due to the cable snapping also in February; problems with the bow door and stern ramp on Stena Alegra in January; and Aratere losing its propeller in November last year having stabilised its radar problems in May last year and propulsion problems in January of this year among countless other issues—he still has confidence in KiwiRail; if so would anything short of a sinking—Hon Member: I think your rudder’s fallen off.Rt Hon Winston Peters: —cause him to lose that confidence? Do not worry about my voters—they are on the rise sunshine.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Well I can answer only some of that question because most of it was mumble. But what I would say is that there is no doubt that the previous Government bought an absolute lemon when it bought back KiwiRail—no question about that—and this Government has poured over $1 billion into a recapitalisation programme trying to make the thing work. Sometimes it is hard to kick life into something that is fundamentally dead but that member supported that previous decision and this Government will be the one that makes it work.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can it possibly be a fact that his incompetent handling of his portfolio and others is the real reason right now in Canterbury that the National Party is polling to gauge Mr Brownlee’s own popularity?Mr SPEAKER: In as far as there is ministerial responsibility the Hon Gerry Brownlee.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Oh I am far too modest to discuss with Mr Peters in the House today my enormous popularity!Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Thank you for instructing him with the words “In so much as you can answer” because I asked him whether his own party was polling about his popularity. He knows that but he will not say so.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member asked the question. It was a marginal question. The Minister has addressed it.Darien Fenton: How can we have confidence in his Government’s KiwiRail Turnaround Plan when his squeeze on KiwiRail has forced it to opt for low-cost procurement and short-term fixes that threaten health and safety and have cost New Zealand highly skilled jobs?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Investing over $1 billion of taxpayer funds in the company is not putting on a squeeze.