Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 17 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18527. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]6.DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East)to the Minister of Transport: What recent announcements has he made on funding for transport?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport):Last week I released the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2015/16 - 2024/25. This is a very thorough document which proposes investing $38.7 billion in land transport over the next 10 years. It continues the Government’s prioritisation of economic growth and productivity road safety and value for money. It continues to focus on fixing the infrastructure deficit which this Government has set about rectifying.David Bennett: What specific gains are there for regions in the Government policy statement?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Our regional networks are of critical importance to New Zealand’s economy and the draft Government policy statement recognises this by increasing the funding to maintain local roads and replacing regional funding which was scheduled to expire on 31 March 2015. It is replaced with a dedicated activity class for regional improvements of up to $90 million a year and that funding package although contestable is available for both local and State highway projects. There is also an exclusion on it for metropolitan councils.Denis O’Rourke: Why is the Government preventing funding to restore the Napier-Gisborne rail link when the road route cannot be expected to cope in the long term?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: No we are not.Denis O’Rourke: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.Denis O’Rourke: The Minister seems to have misunderstood the question. He said he was not and that was not the question. The question asked why the Government is preventing funding.Mr SPEAKER: That was the question and the Minister responded by saying it was not preventing funding. That is the Minister’s answer.David Bennett: What other areas of land transport are receiving a boost in funding?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The draft Government policy statement also proposes increases in funding for a range of activities including walking and cycling road safety promotion and road policing. It continues increasing funding for public transport as set out in the current Government policy statement. Not all of the Government’s commitments to these activities are included in the Government policy statement. For example the bulk of the $1.3 billion spent on Auckland rail was funded outside the Government policy statement. Walking and cycling also received money outside of this activity class—for example funding the cycleway alongside the Christchurch road of national significance the Christchurch Southern Motorway which is part of the State highway budget.Phil Twyford: Why will he not take a more balanced approach and move freight by whatever combination of rail coastal shipping ports and roads is the most efficient and sustainable for any given route instead of his approach which is just bigger trucks and bigger motorways?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: We do not support Labour Party policy.