Genter Julie Anne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Genter Julie Anne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 28 February 2013. Volume:687;Page:8329. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
7. 
JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: Why did he agree to building Transmission Gully as a Public Private Partnership which would treble the cost to over $3.4 billion as confirmed by NZTA CEO Geoff Dangerfield? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 I have not it does not and he did not in the context the member asserts. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table the unofficial transcript from the financial review of the New Zealand Transport Agency that was completed last Thursday where Geoff Dangerfield did confirm that it was going— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Has it been tabled in the House? [ 
Interruption 
] Has it been tabled? I think—I am just checking with the Clerk—there is some difficulty in the tabling of that document. It was given in public so it is not strictly confidential. If the member wants to seek leave to do so I ask the member to put the leave again and we will see what the House decides. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table the unofficial transcript of the financial review of the New Zealand Transport Agency last Thursday in the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that unofficial transcript. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 








Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: Why will it cost taxpayers over $30 million just to sign the contract for the Transmission Gully public-private partnership as confirmed in answers to written questions from the Minister of Transport? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: The preliminary stages of any large motorway project like that are going to be an expensive process. That has always been the case. It was no different for example when the northern corridor was built up in Auckland or the Christchurch Southern Motorway or the Victoria Park Tunnel. There is a certain amount of cost involved up front. Sadly an enormous amount seems to get paid to traffic consultants. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: How can the public-private partnership structure possibly be value for money when it will cost taxpayers over $30 million just to sign the contract and an additional $2.4 billion in interest payments over the lifetime of the project? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: No the member needs to understand that you cannot compare the one-off construction costs with no maintenance costs by adding up 25 years of financing repayments and operational costs for a public-private partnership arrangement and then say that it trebles the cost. That is like trying to compare apples with pineapples—they are not the same thing. Although you can make that assertion and it sounds good it simply will not work. I note that the Greens were very happy when the Government loaned Auckland Transport $500 million to buy its new trains. Then apparently it is good but if it is to get some roading for people it is not so good. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: What justifications can he offer for spending $2.4 billion of road users’ money just to pay back a private loan for a motorway that cannot even pass Treasury’s  
Better Business Cases for Capital Proposals 
 guidelines instead of prioritising the Auckland City rail link which is essential for Auckland’s future economic development? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Well because one of those locations is Auckland and the other is Wellington and it will be good for Wellington’s economic well-being. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table the City Centre Future Access Study which demonstrates that Auckland’s economic development is essential— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The source of the document? 
Julie Anne Genter 
: It is from the Auckland Transport— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is it available on the internet and easily obtained? 
Julie Anne Genter 
: It probably is available on the internet. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It probably is. No we are not putting leave. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table a letter from the Minister of Transport to Auckland Council which says that he is happy with the terms of reference for the City Centre Future Access Study. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that letter. Is there any objection? There is no objection and it can be so tabled. 









Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.