Shaw James: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShaw James: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 08 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11774. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Transport: Why does his 10-year transport strategy make no mention of New Zealand’s long-term target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2050?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): Because the Government does not follow some asinine paint-by-numbers approach where we value something merely on the number of times that it—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I cannot hear the answer so I cannot rule whether the question has been addressed. Less interruption particularly from my left.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: What is very clear is that the Government’s 2015 policy statement on land transport has a clear objective that the land transport system mitigates its effects on the environment. It also makes clear that reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport is an important consideration in land transport investment policy.James Shaw: Given that answer can he tell the House by what percentage transport emissions would need to reduce from today in order to meet the target that New Zealand signed up to in Paris?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No because it is an economy-wide target that New Zealand has set through Paris. That is the same for every country. Of course transport has to play its part and that is why we have got a comprehensive set of initiatives whether it is unprecedented investment in public transport in this Government policy statement—$1.2 billion over 3 years in rail and cycleways and actually in roads because high-quality highways as the member has found out but does not like to refer to actually reduce emissions because they result in smoother more free-flowing traffic.James Shaw: If new motorways decrease transport emissions as he just said why have transport emissions increased by 60 percent in the last 25 years during which time the Government has built more motorways than ever before?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Because the economy has grown.James Shaw: Is he aware that the New ZealandTransport Agency’s analysis that new motorways decrease transport emissions assumed zero growth in the number of vehicles on the road even once these new motorways are built?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I said when the economy grows and you get more freight and more traffic regardless of the modes you see potentially increased emissions. I appreciate that the member through reasons of ideology dislikes the analysis but the analysis is robust and what it shows quite clearly is that in relation to the Waikato Expressway that expressway and its design results in fewer emissions.James Shaw: What proportion of the $40 billion in the transport budget has he allocated in the next 10 years to lower-carbon alternatives like public transport and cycling infrastructure and what percentage has he allocated to building more roads?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I have made clear that is an entirely simplistic asinine approach. If you go across the measures that we have got in public transport there is unprecedented investment in this Government policy statement: cycleways—unprecedented investment throughout the major cities the provinces and rural areas; the electric vehicle policy; and also the highways policy. We have a comprehensive suite of initiatives that is actually making a difference.James Shaw: I seek leave to table this graph showing that the Government is investing 90 percent of its transport budget in roading projects over the next 10 years and—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Who prepared the graph?James Shaw: This was prepared by my office.Mr SPEAKER: And if the member studies the Speakers’ rulings he will know that that is not authentic enough for me to put the leave to the House.James Shaw: Given his previous answer by what percentage will transport emissions fall if he meets his target of 64000 electric vehicles on the road by 2020?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: If the member puts that in writing I am sure we can calculate it for him but I am glad that he recognises that our policy on electric vehicles is more significant and ambitious than any of the hot air that has come out of the Green Party.James Shaw: I seek leave to table analysis by Massey University’s Ralph Sims showing that meeting the target of 64000—Mr SPEAKER: Order! We do not need an explanation of it; all I need to know is whether it is freely available to members off the internet if they want it.James Shaw: I did not receive it via the internet but it may be available on the internet.Mr SPEAKER: On the basis that the member has not checked to see whether it is available—and I implore members in the future if they are going to table a document to take the time to do so because that is a question that will be asked—I will put the leave on this occasion and the House will decide. Leave is sought to table that particular analysis by Massey University. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is objection. [Interruption] Order! Mr Little Order! Supplementary question—[Interruption] Order! If I need to name a particular member as a last warning I will not hesitate to do so.James Shaw: Before he made the big announcement in February to spend $1.8 billion on the new East-West roading project in Auckland what advice did he seek about its climate impact?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I did not seek advice but what I know is very clear is that the transport agency factors in carbon emissions into its economic evaluations on roads such as the East-West.David Seymour: Does the strategy include anything on leading by example or parliamentary air travel?Mr SPEAKER: In so far as there is ministerial responsibility—the Hon Simon Bridges.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I think it should. In fact I am aware of one organisation that some might say quite hypocritically talks a big game but travels more and uses more air miles than anyone else I know of.