6. Question No. 6—TransportSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 6—Transport6. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with the former Minister of Transport Hon Phil Twyford's statement that New Zealand has over-invested in roads"; if not why not?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Associate Minister of Transport) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: If the former Minister was implying that insufficient resource had been invested in public transport and alternative modes of transport I would agree with him. But this Government has shown clearly that the roading system also needs more investment because the previous National government froze road maintenance. This Government does not skimp on both road maintenance and improvement unlike that member's party.Simeon Brown: Did the Government cancel the Cambridge to Piarere motorway upgrade and the Woodend bypass projects because New Zealand had "over-invested in roads" and what exactly has changed since then for the Government to suddenly re-announce these two cancelled roads?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: I have to say that I'm very proud that today we announced the Government policy statement that clearly shows this Government's commitment to increase funding by 25 percent. The catch-up necessary—not just through the projects that are necessary across this country—is 25 percent in this Government policy statement announcement and the previous increases in investment because under the previous National government's programme of "sweat the assets" they did two things. Firstly they increased the weight of the trucks on our roads and at the same time froze the maintenance funding and road improvement funding across this country. That's why we are having to put huge amounts of additional funding in.Simeon Brown: Why did the Government cancel the Cambridge-Piarere motorway upgrade and what has changed for the Government to re-announce it today?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: One thing that this Labour Government will do is commit to projects that are fully funded. What we had in the past—and I can speak to two projects: one the Arahura Bridge in my patch. Great fanfare on the West Coast about it when we announced it but when we got into Government we found that there was not a cent; not one cent had been allocated to that project. There were a whole range of projects promised by National that had no funding just as this National Party—in Opposition—is promising a lot and has yet to show how it will fund their programme. I ask the member over there to explain: the foreign money that his leader indicated would be coming into the roading system—where would that foreign money come from?Simeon Brown: Can the Minister name one single major new roading infrastructure project started and completed under this Government?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: If you just give me a moment here I'll go to the 17 in fact—17 if you like! Mr Speaker this may take a little longer than a normal reply. State Highway 12; Matakohe bridges in Northland Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive Shared Path Pakowhai/Links Road roundabout State Highway 10 Taipā Bridge Edendale Realignment Hawke's Bay Expressway Waimakariri Bridge safety and reliability improvements Arahura Bridge—oh yeah: a number of these projects were not fully funded. They were started as the member asked when this Government came in and they have been completed.Simeon Brown: How does he expect New Zealanders to trust a single word from this Government on transport when all it has achieved to do is cancel a pipeline of infrastructure projects that has caused congestion and the state of our roads to worsen and all they've done is build a couple of roundabouts?Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR: The Government policy statement announced today is fully budgeted. As the Minister of Finance explained it will include a small increase in excise—it will cost the average person 44 cents a week—but we will have fully funded and budgeted roading projects unlike the previous Government. Can I say to the member and to the wider public: if you—or if anyone; not you Mr Speaker—if anyone is to promise you more for less they're usually a con artist."