Ward Mike: Rail Network Bill — First Reading 
Ward Mike: Rail Network Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:625;Page:19775] 
MIKE WARD (Green) 
: 
 I am pleased to stand and speak in support of the Rail Network Bill. The legislation is necessitated by the buy back of the rail-track. I might add that the Greens have advocated the buy back of the rail-track for many years and we are pleased to see the Government adopt the strategy and actually buy it back—and I might add get a bargain—and put ourselves in a position to establish a comprehensive transport strategy that includes rail. We are pleased to see measures long advocated by us actually happen. But the rail network development plan that this bill requires has important implications for the energy and conservation future of this country and it also has important implications for the travel future of this country. 
It is now 12 years since our rail system was disastrously privatised and allowed to run down. The $200 million and 10-year capital improvement programme that this legislation facilitates will provide New Zealand with an essential component of a sustainable transport system. The bill is good news for motorists who have seen their safety undermined by the proliferation of road freight. In view of the fact that road freight operators meet only 56 percent of their roading costs and rail pays 82 percent this bill and the $200 million commitment is an overdue redressing of an out-of-kilter transport system. 
The bill is good news for rail commuters in Wellington and Auckland as well. As our summers get longer and hotter the new owners of the rail-track have a responsibility to see that the track stands up to the pressure without inconveniencing passengers as rails buckle as they have in the past. With peak oil charges and a pressing need to deal with climate change New Zealand needs the fuel efficiency that rail offers for the movement of freight and people. There is no doubt that oil will become more expensive. There is no doubt that climate change is looming. Rail is an important component in providing both sustainable and affordable transport and reducing carbon emissions thereby helping us to comply with our Kyoto Protocol commitments. 
The bill gives effect to New Zealand’s transport strategy to expand the role of rail. There is much that needs to be done to restore rail and the communities and the workforces along the rail-track are likely to get a lift as a consequence of this bill. It is critical that rail is integrated with the other transport modes so that commuters and freight operators can mix and match their transport options. One of the things that was discovered in surveys of local communities was that they wanted to be able to put their bikes on the trains so that they could do part of their journey by cycle and part of their journey on the train. It makes good sense. It is simple for cyclists to carry their bikes on the trains and that will improve patronage. It is also important that parking adjacent to railway stations urban railway stations in particular is provided so again users can mix and match their transport options. Peter Brown asked what New Zealand got. He suggested a rather dilapidated rail-track. I would suggest New Zealand has an opportunity to have a comprehensive transport strategy. 
I hope new rail-track will be laid. I live in Nelson. The Environment Court recently turned down a request by the city of Nelson to build a 2½ kilometre road—a third highway into the city—that would cost $20 million - odd. I asked Tranz Rail some time back what it would cost to build a rail network and it said something like $1 million a kilometre. I cannot remember who it was—maybe it was Deborah Coddington—who said that rail is great for long-haul freight. I would suggest that it has a role for short-haul freight as well. Nelson’s main road—a lovely scenic road—runs around the waterfront and it gets clogged with very large lorries. Traffic on the road is actually overcapacity most of the day. Certainly if it is not overcapacity it does not take much for it to grind to a halt. A rail network into the city is something that should certainly be investigated. In the past I have asked for something to be done. So far people have said: “Oh we don’t build rail any more.” Well I would suggest that with peak oil prices along with climate change it is one of those things that needs to be investigated. It would certainly make our port road a whole lot more enjoyable as a scenic road and a whole lot safer for motorists. 
Deborah Coddington mentioned the inefficiencies of rail. Well could I say that the efficiencies will improve as freight volumes and passenger volumes increase. She spoke also about an emotional attachment. Well it is an emotional attachment that would be good to see renewed and revived because in fact rail plays a really important role I believe in the slowing-down movement that is advocated all over the world these days. As I see the mist roll in over Wellington harbour yet again today it may well be that rail will become more reliable in the future and it may be even faster than using aeroplanes. 
 It is interesting to see the successive rail works marketed. It is not enough simply to put in the infrastructure; we do need to market it. We have a very attractive product but there needs to be somebody out there saying to folk: “Go and catch the train. Go and see our country. Go and enjoy it.” Of course visitors to New Zealand like the Tranz Scenic train journey that goes from Canterbury to the West Coast and return. It is a lovely trip and of course we have scenery like that all over the country. Having rail in place so that scenery can be explored and enjoyed by more New Zealanders and also overseas visitors makes eminently good sense. The Greens are supporting this bill. It is another piece of legislation that is the result I like to think of the close relationship between the Government and ourselves on transport and it promises a much more enlightened transport future for New Zealanders.