8. Transport Auckland—Funding and Fuel TaxJULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of TransportTransport Auckland—Funding and Fuel Tax8. JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of Transport: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's reported statement that there is no need for a fuel tax to pay for Auckland's transport?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): Yes I agree with the Prime Minister's statement that we do not need a regional fuel tax. We do not need that additional opportunity to contribute. That is because this Government has shown that with a growing economy if we manage the country's finances well we can do large projects across the country—not just in Auckland—without new taxes and certainly without cancelling projects like the new East-West Link State highway project which would be a disaster for congestion in Auckland.Julie Anne Genter: So in that case—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No we just need supplementary question".Julie Anne Genter: Supplementary.Mr SPEAKER: Supplementary question—Julie Anne Genter.Julie Anne Genter: So in that case how is he going to pay for the extra $2.6 billion in accelerated transport projects for Auckland; is he going to scrap existing projects or is he going to raise fuel taxes? Where is the money going to come from?Mr SPEAKER: There are three questions there.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I think there are a couple of things to say. Firstly it is not of course all up to us. The council also has to contribute—Grant Robertson: Yeah but you're stopping them doing that.Phil Twyford: They want to.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —and it has got a variety of options there that it can do which do not require the big new taxes that Phil and Grant love so much. Secondly I think that if you look at our books and the situation we are in we have got a strongly growing economy. That means much more fuel tax and road-user charges coming in and there are forecasts for much more as well. On top of that of course because we have managed the Government's books so well over 9 years we have strong capital as indicated in this Budget—some $32.5 billion actually over the next 4 years with $12 billion of that in transport alone. There is headroom there to do a really effective job—to continue doing the big projects but also good management of a strong economy.Julie Anne Genter: So which budget is it going to come from the National Land Transport Fund or general taxation?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I think what you have already seen from this Government is a mixture of these things. But I would repeat what I have said: the land transport system is delivering very strong revenues that allow us real headroom to get in and deal with the growth that we are seeing not just in Auckland but all over New Zealand. But also as you saw from that rail announcement we made on the weekend there is $267 million I think it is from the Crown. Look that is not at all difficult to digest—those kinds of significant rail projects—when you have got a strongly growing economy when you balance your books and when you manage the finances well. We do that on this side of the House.Julie Anne Genter: Can he confirm that if the extra $2.6 billion for Auckland comes from the transport budget it will require at least a 5c per litre increase in fuel tax right across the country?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I do not think that that is necessarily true. As I say I think that from a variety of sources both here and in Wellington and the petrol taxes and the land transport system across New Zealand we have got real headroom in this growing economy to do big projects. We are already doing it with the City Rail Link with East-West and with the Waterview Connection and as the Auckland Transport Alignment Project programme makes clear there is more to come.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table a Treasury and Ministry of Transport (MOT) report that shows that in order to raise just $50 million extra per year for the transport budget a 1c per litre increase is needed nationwide on fuel tax. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I just want to check—is that report that the member is seeking to table readily available on the net?Julie Anne Genter: It says it is "in confidence". I think we received it under the Official Information Act.Mr SPEAKER: I will put the leave and the House will sort it out. Leave is sought to table that particular Treasury-MOT document. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Julie Anne Genter: Given National is already facing a $4 billion shortfall to pay for Auckland transport projects does he seriously expect us to believe that he can fund an extra $2.6 billion worth of projects without new taxes?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I do not accept that at all. If you look at it it is what $24 billion possibly more that is required. We are already $20 billion of the way there. Two-thirds of that is coming from central government and yes we have got headroom to do a bit more. But of course we will also need to see the council find some opportunities to contribute because I think it is important that it is a team effort and I think the council understands that.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table the yet-to-be-released Auckland Transport Alignment Project report which says the additional revenue from a fuel tax is not enough to plug the gap—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Leave is sought to table that particular document. Is there any objection? There is objection."