8. Question No. 8—TransportCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 8—Transport8. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of Transport: What components if any of the Recommended Programme of Investment for Let's Get Wellington Moving were not included in the final Indicative Package announced by him on 16 May 2019 and why were those components not included?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): Thank you Mr Speaker. I'd like to note the Opposition's endorsement of our Government's Let's Get Wellington Moving projects after two years of opposing them. Our Government is taking a balanced approach. We believe in integrating road motorways public transport walking cycling and rapid transit which is the only lasting solution to congestion. I know that the member was disappointed that the extra Terrace tunnel and the undergrounding of Te Aro were not included but the Ministry of Transport calculated that those two projects alone would cost $1.8 billion—nearly a third of the cost of the package that our Government is getting on with delivering. Chris Bishop: Like Melling. Nicola Willis: We'll get it done. SPEAKER: Order! Mr Bishop—the other member may wish to have a supplementary but she needs to stand up and call. Chris Bishop: Has he seen recent reports of congestion caused by the closure of the Terrace tunnel in Wellington and will he now look at advancing plans to duplicate the Terrace tunnel? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I have seen reports of congestion but as I said to the member in my earlier answer the Terrace tunnel and the trenching of State Highway 1 at Karo Drive would have cost an extra $1.8 billion. This Government has committed itself to a $6.4 billion integrated transport project for Wellington City. To add additional projects as the member seems to want to would actually be tantamount to taking transport funding from other regions. Now the member has promised $31 billion of transport spending over and above—over and above—the $46 billion our Government has already fully funded. He needs to tell the people of New Zealand how he is going to pay for it. Chris Bishop: Has he received advice on the benefits to Wellington of the Te Aro undergrounding project and why is this project not part of the indicative package he's announced for Let's Get Wellington Moving? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well it is an interesting project but I have to say that the benefit-cost ratio if I recall correctly doesn't even break one—it doesn't pay for itself—and actually if the member wants to be the Minister of Transport one day he's got to understand that actually transport is all about choosing priorities. You can't just go out there and promise $31 billion without telling New Zealanders how you're going to pay for it. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Minister when he used the phrase endorsing projects" does he mean announcing projects that the Government's already planned paid for and has under way and can he give us an example of one? Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well it was very touching to hear the Opposition announce that they're going to build the Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway a project that we have fully funded and committed to and are already doing the work on—and already doing the work on. Chris Bishop: That member cancelled it. Hon PHIL TWYFORD: That's very touching—no the work is under way. It's actually happening. The geotechnical investigations are under way as we speak. But our Government has very prudently set aside $14 billion of the COVID recovery budget allowance. The Opposition has already spent that twice over and that's just on transport. Chris Bishop: Well just in relation to that last answer does he accept that the Ōtaki to north of Levin project like the Melling interchange project in the Hutt Valley were both projects re-evaluated following the $5 billion cut to the State highway budget only to be brought back after National Party pressure?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well unless you believe in the resurrection you can't bring back a ghost road.Kieran McAnulty: Kia orana e Te Vaa Tuatua. What recent announcements has he seen about Wellington regional transport projects?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I've seen two that are worth mentioning. It's great to see the National Party finally coming to the party and committing to upgrades and safety improvements in the Wairarapa that are currently being designed under this Government. It was also good to see them finally catch up and commit to the big New Zealand Upgrade Programme that we announced in January including the Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway that's fully funded and rail upgrades north of Wellington that are also fully funded under this Government. I want to congratulate the Opposition on finally announcing—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I was hoping the member might come to something that he had responsibility for but he didn't.Nicola Willis: Kia orana. Will he commit to breaking ground on a new Mount Victoria tunnel by 2023 or is he content to delay this congestion-busting project for a decade or more?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well obviously I reject the premise of that question. There's no delay. Our Government has committed and fully funded a second Mount Victoria tunnel unlike the former National Government who for nine years did nothing in Wellington except try to impose a giant concrete flyover on Wellingtonians and they failed at that.Brett Hudson: How does the Government's decision to not implement or to delay the components of the Let's Get Wellington Moving recommended programme of investment from Ngauranga through to Te Aro benefit residents of Wellington's northern suburbs?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well the Let's Get Wellington Moving project it's true does actually make a major investment in integrated transport projects in Wellington City but it sits alongside a major programme of investments that this Government has made not only Ōtaki to north of Levin: the Melling interchange safety improvements at State Highway 58 and the Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway. The Wellington region is seeing far more money and far more attention under this Government than it ever did under nine years of National."