Genter Julie Anne: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Text is subject to correction 
Genter Julie Anne: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 01 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4203. Text is subject to correction.] 
JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) 
: 
 Tena koe. Thank you Mr Chair. It is a great pleasure to speak on Vote Transport following the Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges. I would really like to address some of the specific points that he made. I think that the great tragedy of this Vote Transport is the incredible missed opportunity. The Government is missing a huge opportunity. At a time when the world is undergoing a fundamental economic restructuring—of course the Government does not even bother trying to analyse what the reasons for that might be; it uses it to justify whatever policy it would like to implement—we need to be investing in the smartest transport infrastructure that we possibly can and that is infrastructure that will reduce cost to the household and cost to business.  
What we have learnt here in the House over the past few months through oral questions to some of the Ministers and what we have seen even on Television One on Saturday night is that this Government did no economic analysis before it decided on its programme of roads of national significance. In fact in 2008 Sinclair Knight Merz the consultants that are now working on the investigation of the project did a report on strategic options for State Highway 1 north of Auckland to Wellsford. What it determined in that study is very very clear: the costs of a brand new alignment of a new four-lane motorway vastly outweigh the benefits. What is clear to me is that the National Party when in Opposition sat down and did some focus groups and it asked these focus groups what they would like to see it invest in. National got back the answer “infrastructure” so it came up with a little package of motorways that are going to look like it is doing something important. The Government is throwing most of our money now at five projects—$14 billion at five projects. 
What I heard from Mr Bridges just now is that this is well targeted and that National is unashamed to be investing in roads. But unfortunately it is not even investing in roads. It cannot even be said to be a Government that is investing in roads because what it is doing is spending 95 percent of all new money on infrastructure on roads but 75 percent of all new money on infrastructure in Vote Transport is going on five projects—just five. How many vehicle trips travel on these routes that it is focusing on? It is less than 3 percent. So the Government is spending 75 percent of the money on new infrastructure on 3 percent of vehicle trips. How is that logical? How is that going to improve economic productivity? It is not going to affect 97 percent of vehicle trips in the entire country.  
At a time when oil prices are rising the Government should be interested in the opportunity that it has through our increased understanding of how it is that transport infrastructure contributes to economic development and that actually this is the time to be investing more in rail and to be investing more in buses and trains and walking and cycling. What happens when you invest money in buses and trains? Well more people take buses and trains so that is good. But then what also happens is fewer people are on the roads so the people on the roads find it easier to get where they need to go. So that kills two birds with one stone there. 
Phil Twyford 
: Stop being so logical!  
JULIE ANNE GENTER 
: I know! I have all the figures right here. I even have Treasury’s advice on the National Government’s policy statement on transport funding which is that Treasury would prefer to see economic evidence that the Government policy statement of 2009 has been a success before we continue along these lines. Even Treasury has significant doubts about the Government’s infrastructure programme. But all we will continue to hear I am sure from the National Government is an empty mantra. It thinks that if it says it enough times it will be true and unfortunately it will not.  
What the Government has missed is an opportunity to invest in transport infrastructure that would actually make our roads safer that would actually reduce transport costs and that would actually address congestion issues at peak hour in our towns and cities. It is missing that opportunity which would even save us money at a time when it is worried so much about debt. You would think it would be interested in saving money. Thank you.