King Annette: Land Transport Management Amendment Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
King Annette: Land Transport Management Amendment Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Sitting date: 01 July 2008. Volume:648;Page:17050. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 I welcome the member’s support for the changes that have been made in planning and funding. Obviously the member as a former Minister of Transport understands those issues well. But I know that the issue of one agency was raised at the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee and that considerable debate took place at the committee about this issue. I know also that the chair of the establishment board Brian Roche appeared before the committee to talk about how the new board would manage the transparency between the operation of the old Transit agency and the responsibilities of Land Transport New Zealand. 
My understanding is that a very good briefing and a very good understanding was given to the committee as to how the new agency would operate. A lot of thought has been put into the operation of the new agency to ensure transparency. That was a matter of concern and I acknowledge we need to have transparency. My understanding is that a very good briefing was given to members and that they could see a serious issue was being taken seriously and addressed by the establishment board and by those who have some knowledge of how the sector works. It is important that we do not ever have one part of an agency dominating any other part of the agency. Therefore the way it operates and the transparency of the operation are very important issues. I think the previous speaker should have been reassured by the submissions made to the select committee and no doubt the chair of the committee will talk further on this issue shortly. 
The previous speaker is obviously interested in the regional fuel tax and I know that the National Party is very keen for this Parliament to pass that part of the bill. National members do not wish to vote for it and they do not want to dirty their hands but they do want it to be passed because they know it is another tool in the tool box. I am waiting to see whether Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith will cross the floor of the Chamber and vote with the Labour Party and other members who are supporting this bill to support the regional fuel tax. Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith has assured the people interested in Penlink the people who are interested in building a road in their area that he would cross the floor to support the regional fuel tax. This is the time for him to come to the Chamber and say he will do what he said he would do for the sake of the people of Whangaparaoa. One cannot make those sorts of promises to people and think they will forget them. They do not forget them; they remember them. They have them in their minds. Those people took note of that and they are waiting for Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith to come to the Chamber and vote when we get to the vote on this part of the bill to ensure that the regional fuel tax as a tool for regional government is able to be used. 
I move  
That the Committee report progress and sit again presently. 
Progress reported. 
Report adopted. 
House resumed.