5. Transport Infrastructure Auckland—Waterview ConnectionDr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of TransportTransport Infrastructure Auckland—Waterview Connection5. Dr JIAN YANG (National) to the Minister of Transport: How many people were involved in the construction of the Waterview tunnels in Auckland?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): Around 11000 people were employed during a 5-year period at over three different worksites during construction of the Waterview tunnels. Construction began on the project in 2012 with Alice the tunnel-boring machine excavating enough dirt to fill 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Twenty-four thousand concrete segments to line both 2.4 kilometre tunnels have been installed along with 400 kilometres of cabling and wiring. The end product is a world-class piece of infrastructure that will deliver the biggest change in Auckland's transport system since the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959.Dr Jian Yang: What reports has he seen on the expected wider economic benefits of the Waterview tunnels?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: When the tunnels open very soon they will provide more options for Aucklanders travelling around the city particularly between the west and the south. The new connection will also provide more efficient links to and from Auckland Airport Ports of Auckland and inland freight hubs reducing costs for people and businesses not only in Auckland but throughout the country. The estimated wider economic benefits of all of this are estimated to be worth $430 million to improve productivity and reduce travel time and also include the creation of more than 18000 jobs.Mr SPEAKER: Just before I call the member—and I apologise—I say to Darroch Ball and Fletcher Tabuteau that I have warned them once about their level of interjection but it has continued. If either of them interjects again during the balance of question time I will be asking them to leave.David Seymour: Does such a large number of people being required to build one tunnel point to low productivity in the New Zealand construction sector?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No. It refers to a massive project the biggest we have ever seen in New Zealand.David Seymour: Does the Minister believe that increasing vehicle occupancy rates would increase the productivity of New Zealand roads such as the Waterview tunnel?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Yes and that is why the Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 2) is making its way merrily through the House and will be in the Committee of the whole House I think later on today.David Seymour: How will the Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 2) help increase vehicle occupancy rates?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: By providing a legal and fair playing field for ride sharing carpooling and all of the new kinds of technological innovations we are seeing in the small - passenger service space.David Seymour: Has the Minister had any discussions with any other political parties about including new legislative initiatives in the bill he mentioned?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Yes and I know that the member is a vigorous proponent of really enabling ride sharing and better occupancy of vehicles. The discussions between him and me have been very fruitful in that regard.David Seymour: Given the fruitfulness of those discussions why has the Minister declined to include any of the matters discussed in the bill?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I am still thinking it all through.David Seymour: Supplementary?Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can I just rule first—the member has used his supplementary questions.Rt Hon Winston Peters: That was certainly going to be my point of order.Mr SPEAKER: That is very perceptive of you but it is actually not a point of order.