O'Rourke Denis: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeO'Rourke Denis: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 24 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18783. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.DENIS O’ROURKE (NZ First)to the Minister of Transport: When will the Government provide a comprehensive and integrated land transport plan for New Zealand?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport):Last week.Denis O’Rourke: Why is so little priority given to rail and to public transport in the recently released Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2015/16 - 2024/25?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The Government has made a massive commitment to rail having so far spent almost $1 billion on the KiwiRail recovery plan having spent hundreds of millions of dollars on new trains for the commuter services in Auckland and Wellington and having spent similarly a lot of money on the electrification infrastructure in Wellington and Auckland. The Government policy statement predicts that over the next 3 years there would be $1.2 billion spent on public transport. I hardly think that is inadequate.Denis O’Rourke: Why is the Government not addressing Auckland’s congestion problems by giving the Auckland City Rail Link the go-ahead right now?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The Government is making a commitment to get Auckland moving. That was seen in our recent decision to accelerate a number of projects in the roading sphere around Auckland. We have made it very clear to the Auckland Council that the targets it sets for patronage on the rail were ridiculous. We reduced them substantially and it is still not getting anywhere near it. It has brought in a previously reputable accounting firm to say “If those targets cannot be reached they are unreasonable and just spend the money anyway.” We are committed from 2020. That remains our position.Denis O’Rourke: Why is the Government not addressing Christchurch’s chronic congestion on the Northern Motorway by ensuring the early introduction of passenger rail from and to Rangiora and other towns north of Christchurch?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: At the present time there is a request in front of KiwiRail from the regional council there Environment Canterbury. I am not sure exactly where that is at the present moment but the most pressing thing would be to get the northern arterial road out of the city sorted out. It may surprise people in this House to know that Mr O’Rourke was one of the Christchurch city councillors who voted that project down in the early 1990s.Denis O’Rourke: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.Denis O’Rourke: The statement by the Minister is a misrepresentation—Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a valid point of order. The member will have an opportunity at some stage to debate that. To dispute a fact that has been given in an answer is not a legitimate use of a point of order.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There is no doubt that past Speakers have found certain conduct in this House to be totally disorderly. The Minister made an allegation that is entirely incorrect. The member of Parliament voted the other way when he was on the council but do not tell lies—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat because that again is not the way to use a point of order.Denis O’Rourke: Why are there no plans for further rail electrification in the recently released Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2015/16 – 2024/25?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I did not hear the interjection but the level of the barrage from that member is completely unacceptable. He has asked a question. He should show some courtesy to the House now to allow the Minister to answer it.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Where commuter services can be made effective then of course there would be a desire to have a look at those projects. We have done that in Auckland we have done that in Wellington and as I have said before there is a proposal in Christchurch but it does have to stack up.