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: 09 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:2081. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
9. 
JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: What is the plan to pay for the Government’s transport expenditure given that the Ministry of Transport’s  
Briefing to the Incoming Minister 
 warns of a funding shortfall of $4.9 billion if high oil prices and low GDP growth continue? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 The shortfall referred to by the questioner could occur in the years between 2021 and 2030. It was included in the briefing to the incoming Minister to indicate that if those conditions persisted it might exist. We are not making plans now for what might happen in 2021 but I do acknowledge the member’s commitment to this Government dealing with these problems in 2021 through to 2030. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: Is he saying that he is not concerned that his Government’s expensive State highway programme will cost New Zealanders billions as long as the funding shortfall is well beyond his term? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I think my answer is yes because the roads will cost what they cost and until we get to 2021 or to some time in that 10-year block out to 2030 we do not know whether there will be a shortfall. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: Given that the Ministry of Transport officials have consistently warned that there will be a funding gap between revenue raised from road users and planned expenditure even in this decade how does he propose to make up the funding shortfall? Will he raise taxes on fuel and road users will he borrow more or will he cut some projects? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I think the advice that the member has referred to as coming from the Ministry of Transport lacks the ambition that this Government has for growth in the New Zealand economy. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table this document from the Ministry of Transport—the Government policy statement 2012 draft Cabinet paper and engagement document—which states that there will be a deficit of about $1.5 billion between forecast revenue and target Government policy statement expenditure before 2020.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.  
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Julie Anne Genter 
: Does the recently published IMF paper  
The Future of Oil 
 which shows real oil prices doubling in the coming decade sending petrol prices here to $5 a litre cause him to reconsider the economic rationale for the so-called roads of national significance; and if not why not? 
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I am the Minister of Transport not an oil speculator for the futures market; therefore I have no comment on that.  
Julie Anne Genter 
: I would just like to seek leave to table this working paper from the IMF which shows real oil prices doubling in the next decade.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.  
Julie Anne Genter 
: I seek leave to table the Government policy statement which shows that in 2022 85 percent— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! This is the Government’s Budget Policy Statement? 
Julie Anne Genter 
: Yes. It shows that in— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No we do not table documents available to all members.  
Dr Russel Norman 
: I seek leave to table a document that explains to the Government that “IMF” stands for International Monetary Fund because it does not seem to realise that.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: The source of the document? 
Dr Russel Norman 
: It is my own annotations.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: No we do not do that.