6. Question No. 6—TransportHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green—Rongotai) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 6—Transport6. Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green—Rongotai) to the Minister of Transport: Will his draft Government Policy Statement on land transport contribute to emissions reduction targets and reduce transport costs for people; if so how?Hon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Transport): Yes. As the member knows the emissions trading scheme (ETS) is the Government's key tool to reduce emissions. As the member well knows the transport sector is covered by the ETS and the ETS caps emissions. The Government policy statement (GPS) 2024 is about delivering transport infrastructure so Kiwis can get where they need to go quickly and safely without being stuck in congestion. This Government has delivered on its commitment to not raise fuel excise duties (FED) or road-user charges (RUC) in this term.Hon Julie Anne Genter: How can people choose to avoid paying ETS prices and higher prices to use cars when his draft GPS cuts funding to public transport services public transport infrastructure walking and cycling—basically every alternative to using a car?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well there's significant investment in public transport in this GPS. There's over $4.4 billion going into public transport services and public transport infrastructure. We've got a range of major public transport projects that we're going to invest in: completing the City Rail Link for instance: a project started under the last National Government—we're going to complete it during this term of Government; the Eastern Busway which we're going to ensure the regional fuel tax money continues to invest in; we electrified the Auckland rail network. This is a Government which backs public transport and this GPS continues to support public transport in New Zealand.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Does his draft GPS provide lower or higher targets for funding for public transport services and infrastructure than the previous Government's draft GPS?Hon SIMEON BROWN: In terms of the draft GPS if we're comparing it to the last Government's draft GPS in 2023 this is a much better document because what it will do is it will focus on value for money from our public transport sector. Now the actual targets are slightly lower but we will get better outcomes because we'll be focusing on making sure our public transport services are operating reliably.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Under this draft GPS can local councils put in bus lanes on local roads as part of an upgrade or regular maintenance and renewal of a local road?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well as the member will know as a former Associate Minister of Transport following the draft GPS councils will be putting forward their regional land transport programmes. That will then feed into the national land transport programme (NLTP) which will be outlined later this year which will clarify those issues. I encourage the councils around the country to read the document and put forward their regional land transport plans which feed into the NLTP.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Is he denying that in the draft GPS there is a specific provision that says local road funding maintenance and renewal cannot be used for multimodal improvements and that includes bus lanes?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well when it comes to maintenance and renewal funding we are focusing that on exactly what it says it will do: about fixing potholes and renewing our roads. That's why we are ring-fencing the pothole prevention funds to make sure we are actually achieving the long-term rates of renewal needed on our roads. The last Government left the current state of our roads in a declining state. This GPS is about actually improving the quality of our roads so people can get around where they need to go quickly and safely. In relation to the member's specific question the local roading improvement activity class is an activity class available to councils to invest in their local roading infrastructure.Hon Julie Anne Genter: How can people in New Zealand expect to have frequent reliable bus and train services to give them an alternative to driving a car when he is cutting funding for public transport and making it harder for local councils to make public transport reliable and on time? Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well that side of the House thinks throwing more money is the solution to every single problem. Well they had six years and they spent $228 million on Auckland Light Fail". Aucklanders didn't get anything but taxpayers spent hundreds of millions of dollars.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Point of order Mr Speaker. Point of order.Hon SIMEON BROWN: On this side of the House we're about delivery and delivering the infrastructure public transport infrastructure and services needed.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Mr Speaker I just ask you to reflect on the Minister's answers because I have asked quite specific questions and each time—SPEAKER: Yeah. This is the sort of thing that is—Hon Julie Anne Genter: —this is deflected by attacking the previous Government which I was not part of.SPEAKER: Yeah this is the sort of point of order that's winding people up a bit. The Minister had not finished an answer and I think while you may not be satisfied with the direction of his answer I would like to hear it before any judgment is made.Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well Mr Speaker on this side of the House it's not just about how much money is thrown at a problem; it's actually about making sure we get the outcomes that New Zealanders expect. And that's why we're proud of the record: when we started the City Rail Link we're going to complete it. That side of the House spent hundreds of millions of dollars on "Auckland Light Fail" and didn't actually get anything started—not 1 metre of track delivered. We're focused on getting the outcomes New Zealanders need.Helen White: Point of order. The Minister has now had a long period of time where he has not addressed the question and in fact it is quite obvious that he is attacking the previous Government and not answering the question. If it is possible for him to simply sandwich his answer with one end of it—[Interruption]SPEAKER: When a point of order is being taken regardless of what the rest of the House might think of it I want to hear it in silence. Start again and make it a point of order.Helen White: Mr Speaker my concern is that the question is not actually being answered and there is a long period of time where the answer is irrelevant and is out of order where the Speaker is not intervening. So in fact crime is paying sir.SPEAKER: Well those are your opinions; they are not mine. He very clearly said that this Government sees outcomes as more important than money spent. In other words getting value for the dollar. It's not for me to explain that. That's how I heard it; that's how I judge it.Hon Julie Anne Genter: Can I just ask for some clarification?SPEAKER: Clarification? It had better be a clarification because that was not—with all due respect—a point of order.Hon Julie Anne Genter: The Minister has repeatedly referred using a pejorative term to the previous Labour Government's project and I just wonder if the Speaker could reflect on whether that is part of answering the question in good faith to refer to a project in a pejorative way without—he's calling it "Auckland Light Fail" so it just doesn't even seem like that's a good-faith answer from a Minister to be honest.SPEAKER: I'm sorry I think the member should really stop there. The member was asking about why funding had been cut. What the Minister suggested is that past funding perhaps hadn't been as well used as it could be. I don't think that's unreasonable.Hon Chris Bishop: What reports has the Minister seen if any in relation to advocacy by the former member of Parliament for Mt Albert—and indeed the current member of Parliament for Mt Albert—about Auckland light rail and how did that project stack up against that advocacy?SPEAKER: Simeon Brown—as long as he can do it within the bounds of ministerial responsibility.Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well I have seen reports of a former member for Mt Albert advocating for the Auckland light rail project prior to the 2017 election saying it would be completed by 2021. Despite six years in Government nothing happened.SPEAKER: That's interesting but not particularly helpful to the order of the House."