7. Question No. 7—TransportSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 7—Transport7. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Transport: How much money has been spent on consultants for Auckland light rail and Let's Get Wellington Moving since 26 October 2017 and how much money has been spent on construction activities for these projects during this time frame?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of Transport: I am advised that between 2015-16 and 2022-23 $69.1 million has been spent on consultants on projects within Let's Get Wellington Moving and $4.6 million has been spent on construction. Since 2017 the Government has spent $58.2 million on consultants for Auckland light rail and as the member knows main construction works are yet to commence there. These consultants were engaged to undertake roles such as planning engineering consenting and financing activities that typically occur before construction. In the absence of a ministry of works which the member might well be contemplating this work has to be done by consultants. For the member's benefit how major transport programmes work including mass rapid transit systems is that before construction can occur there needs to be investment in design planning and consenting rather than just going ahead with reckons and wish lists.Simeon Brown: Does the Minister think that Let's Get Wellington Moving has its priorities right when it has spent over $114 million so far and it's only been able to deliver a single set of traffic lights in Wellington?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister I think that the priorities of Let's Get Wellington Moving—to make sure that we actually can have good quality public transport across the city that we can allow people to move across the city and that we do other improvements for walking and cycling—are good ones. Am I satisfied with the progress of Let's Get Wellington Moving? No I'm not and that is why we are moving to advance it.Simeon Brown: Can he confirm reports—Hon Damien O'Connor: Maybe you should have spent a bit more on Transmission Gully!SPEAKER: Order! I'd like to hear the question.Simeon Brown: Thank you. Can he confirm reports that Let's Get Wellington Moving has recently spent over $113000 on relocating offices and is it the case that they have failed to get Wellington moving because they've been too focused moving themselves?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister: no I can't confirm those reports. What I can however confirm is that Let's Get Wellington Moving has not spent any money on consultants to be engaged as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.Simeon Brown: Who is correct: Michael Wood and Grant Robertson who said in January 2022 that the Government had selected its preferred option of tunnelled light rail in Auckland's CBD to the airport or the Prime Minister who said yesterday morning that no decision had been made on the preferred option and route?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As the member knows the business case work goes on and the planning work goes on on Auckland light rail. If the member wants to make sure that Aucklanders are forever trapped in gridlock yes we could adopt the National Party's policy but no we actually think that Auckland deserves a proper mass rapid transit system.Simeon Brown: How many more years will it take for Auckland to have a business case for Auckland light rail and is it this Government's priority to get Auckland moving or to get Auckland consulting?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Oh! On behalf of the Minister our priority is to make sure that we address the enormous nine years of under-investment in Auckland's transport that we inherited. We'll continue our work on that.