Halbert ShananSHANAN HALBERT (Labour): Tēnā tātou e te Whare. Happy Easter Madam Speaker and to all of the members across the House and those at home I hope you all have a safe trip on our roads in Aotearoa New Zealand wherever you are going. To acknowledge the last speaker I encourage people to head to Northland and support that member and the roads up there and the local economy of Northland.This is a debate about the road-user charges and I acknowledge those from the past that have carved the path—including Steven Joyce—for people actually who have taken action to reduce emissions in this country because only by taking action putting in new tools to change behaviour will we see the outcome in this country that we want to see.There is a lot of excitement in the House this afternoon and it is Easter of course. We've got a four-day weekend ahead of us. What this bill is not though is utu. It's not paybacks; it's not justice because something was done right. The incentives scheme that was put in place to allow electric vehicle (EV) drivers not to have to pay these particular fees was in fact that. It was an incentive to encourage people to change their mode of transport to choose an electric option in order to reduce our emissions. We have in many respects achieved what we set out to do and I acknowledge that across consecutive Governments. But again I go back to the point that now is an opportunity to set the way forward. But the next question is: what is the next set of actions for this House to reduce emissions in this country and we are yet to see that particular piece of work from this Government.The road-user charges provides for light EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to pay road-user charges from 1 April in 2024. It's actually a win for plug-in hybrids that we've seen and we saw the member Andy Foster talk about the progression of what percentage might people or users pay in this sense. It started at 20 percent it then got up to 30 percent and then thanks to our Labour team—acknowledging Tangi Utikere and Arena Williams for the work that they did with the Transport and Infrastructure Committee—it got up to 50 percent. After spending a couple of sessions with this term's Transport and Infrastructure Committee I just want to acknowledge the listening that took place and collective decision-making that caused a win for plug-in hybrid owners when they pay their road-user charges.Something I spoke openly about is my concerns when it comes to the cost of living. This Government campaigned on cost of living relief for New Zealanders. Where I live in Tāmaki-makau-rau Auckland our largest city in this country we have a high uptake of EVs—more so than any other part of Aotearoa New Zealand—so we're well represented in this particular group. When it comes to the cost of living though what we've seen from the Minister of Transport Simeon Brown is only a pile-on of costs when it comes to achieving our transport outcomes and don't get me wrong because I agree—and that's why we're supporting this particular bill—that people have to pay their fair share that we do have to invest in things like road maintenance and that we do need to have good infrastructure.But my question to the Minister during the committee stage yesterday was: to what extent? When we look at this this is adding on additional costs to people that use the roads. What we've seen in Auckland under the Government policy statement and under the repeal of the regional fuel tax is actually the Minister forcing more people to take their car as opposed to taking public transport. Auckland has just experienced in this Government policy statement a cut of $500 million from their public transport network. What that means is that the cost will be offset to people that use public transport in Auckland and their fees—as advised by Auckland Council's submission yesterday—are likely to increase by 126 percent. That's another cost that is being piled on to Aucklanders alongside these road-user charges for those that are using electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.On top of that we've seen the additional $50 on our registration fees for cars an anticipated fuel-excise tax that will start in two years' time. The Minister's proposed an additional cost in toll roads to pay for infrastructure that we need and the inclusion and plan to introduce congestion charging in our largest city Tāmaki-makau-rau Auckland.So when we start to look at the actual costs and the promise made by this Government for cost of living relief in this election there's got to be a point where we agree that we are investing in critical infrastructure and paying in the areas that we need to. But when we start to see the public transport costs the rego fees the fuel excise the toll roads and the congestion charging where does it end for Aucklanders? So while we're supporting this particular bill I do encourage that people keep their eye on the work that this Minister is doing. Our Transport and Infrastructure Committee have also got to have good solid debates generous debates and to listen to each other to ensure that what we do in achieving our transport outcomes—which is to reduce congestion and to get people as the Minister said faster and more safely to the places that they need to go—is also affordable for families in Aotearoa and in Auckland. So—Grant McCallum: That's why we have tax cuts.SHANAN HALBERT: Just to respond to the member from Northland actually this is my point. There are no savings for Aucklanders even if you include a tax cut in that when you're piling on these costs just in transport alone. Add on to that 23 percent in water rates additionally for Aucklanders. There are no savings in that so let's not hoodwink Aucklanders and make them think that they're getting a tax cut and then they're going to have more money in their back pocket. That is not the case. Let's focus on actually what we need to achieve in our transport network which is good investment in our infrastructure and a good discussion and debate on how we pay for that collectively to achieve the outcomes that we need to reduce congestion and reduce emissions into our climate. Thank you Madam Speaker. Happy Easter e te Whānau.