2. Question No. 2—TransportSIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 2—Transport2. SIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Transport: Does he stand by his statement I regularly reinforce my expectations that Waka Kotahi and other agencies spend money in a proportionate and reasonable way"; if so in which cases if any has this expectation not been met? Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): I certainly stand by my statement and across the investments that Waka Kotahi makes. I am confident that the agency delivers expenditure that is responsible and delivers benefits for New Zealand through investments such as the two-laning of the previously one-lane Motu Bridge on State Highway 2 at Gisborne; the investment in the Tamaki cycleway that we recently reopened; the investment in the State Highway 5 safety improvements outside of Rotorua; and of course bringing home Transmission Gully which the previous Government goofed up so badly on. Of course across a $4.5 billion spend every year from a statutorily independent agency there will from time to time be expenditure that is not in accordance with my expectations. I've recently spoken about some of that expenditure across the Road to Zero programme and I continue as other Ministers do to talk with my agencies to make sure that all expenditure is appropriate.Simon Court: Does the Minister agree that it is proportionate and reasonable to spend up to $311 million on a 4½ kilometre shared path between Pētone and Ngauranga at a cost of $69000 per metre and is this the most expensive cycleway in New Zealand?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The Ngauranga to Pētone cycleway which I joined with local government leaders to sign the documents on earlier this week is one of the most keenly awaited infrastructure projects in the Wellington region. It will provide safe walking and cycling options for people to connect between Lower Hutt and Wellington City. It has been widely supported in fact across the House across central government and local government and across people right across this region. Our Government is one that invests across a range of transport infrastructure. The old days of just investing in roads will not get us where we need to be in terms of a safe resilient and low-carbon network. I know that's the thinking of the ACT Party but our Government will make sure that all New Zealanders including people here in Wellington have real and safe transport choices.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was clearly about the Minister's view about the acceptability of the price of the cycleway per metre and he did not address that at all. He just talked about the cycleway and various people's attitudes to it.DEPUTY SPEAKER: No in my opinion he has addressed it—quite clearly addressed it as well.Simon Court: Does he believe that it's proportionate and reasonable to spend $44000 on an engineering review of two giant spinning top sculptures on the Waikato Expressway and how much did the spinning tops themselves cost?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I do think it's appropriate for the agency to have engineering reviews to ensure the safety of any large structures that it installs. I think it would be bizarre to suggest the Transport Agency should not do that.Simeon Brown: Does he think it is proportionate and reasonable for the New Zealand Transport Agency to spend $25 million on fitting out its new plush Wellington office at a cost of $2870 per square metre or could any of that money have been better spent repairing the potholes peppering our highways?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I think it is entirely reasonable for any significant delivery agency to have adequate office space for its staff. In the case of Waka Kotahi it's been canvassed in this House in written questions. The current two premises have to be moved on from because of the end of lease periods and earthquake requirements. The new premises have gone through a standard procurement process. And I will stand by our Government's investment in road maintenance which has increased by 40 percent since we inherited Government as opposed to the previous Government which flat-lined investment in road maintenance to fund its pet projects in the transport portfolio.Simon Court: Does he believe that it's proportionate and reasonable to have spent $370000 on an opening ceremony for the Transmission Gully motorway and does he agree with the Mayor of Porirua who said "That money would fill a lot of potholes."?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I think it is reasonable when these significant transport projects are finished that have had a degree of large disruption for communities for communities to be brought together to celebrate those events. After that event I did convey to Waka Kotahi that I believe it is important that costs are minimised as much as possible which is why I was very pleased that for the opening event for the Waikato Expressway last week which our Government has delivered less than $100000 was spent on that which compares very favourably indeed to the $1.1 million the previous National Government spent on the Waterview Tunnel opening event. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Everyone knows that questions are asked in silence.Simon Court: Does he believe that it is proportionate and reasonable for Waka Kotahi to spend taxpayer funds to research and identify Māori experiences expectations and priorities for transport in New Zealand and how is this more important than fixing unsafe roads for all New Zealanders?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I do believe that it is important that the transport network delivers on the aspirations and needs of all New Zealanders and that is why Waka Kotahi has undertaken that piece of work. In respect to the second part of the member's question as I've outlined already under our Government the funding for road maintenance has increased by over 40 percent from what the previous National-ACT Government provided when it was in office.Simon Court: Does the Minister believe that it is proportionate and reasonable for Waka Kotahi to spend over $72 million of its share of the Let's Get Wellington Moving business case and how is taking three years to prepare a $120 million business case proportionate and reasonable?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I do fully accept that the other side of the House wrote Wellington City off as a "dying city" when it was in Government but that is not the approach of our Government. We believe that it is time to make decisive investments in a low-carbon transport network. [Interruption] Those were Mr Key's comments which that member supported at the time I'm quite sure even if he doesn't now. We are going to make the investments in safe walking and cycling a high-frequency high-capacity mass rapid transit to finally decongest the city and give Wellingtonians the transport choices that they have lacked for so many years. I understand there's a lack of ambition on that side of the House for transport in Wellington but we're getting on with the job."