11. KiwiRail—Diesel Train PurchaseJULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of TransportKiwiRail—Diesel Train PurchaseMr SPEAKER: Question No. 11—Julie Anne Genter. [Interruption] Order! I have asked the member to cooperate I think two or three times now. If the member is going to refuse to cooperate unfortunately I will have to ask her to leave the Chamber.11. JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of Transport: Is he confident that all transport investment decisions by his Government are best value for money reliability and reducing climate pollution?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): Yes in the context that they were made. Investment decisions need to balance many factors such as value for money reliability the environment and resilience. I am confident that the transport investment decisions made by this Government represent an appropriate balance of those factors.Julie Anne Genter: Will he order an immediate independent review of KiwiRail's decision to purchase new diesel trains in light of a leaked report stating that refurbishing the existing electric trains would be $230 million cheaper and that diesels purchased to date have extremely poor performance and have a high failure rate?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As much as the member says there that is simply incorrect. No I will not be ordering a review.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table an independent review by WorleyParsons provided to KiwiRail which has not been made publicly available and which raises serious concerns about the cost and reliability of diesel train replacements.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular review paper. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is objection.Julie Anne Genter: Is the Minister seriously not concerned that an independent review concluded that KiwiRail's advice to its board was biased" towards the diesel train option?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No because the report she is talking about is now out of date. It has been superseded by much better information inputs. I think what that shows actually is that KiwiRail took a very long time to come to this difficult decision. It has balanced the factors as I have said and I am not revisiting its decision.Julie Anne Genter: If that report has indeed been superseded by better information why did he and his Cabinet colleagues receive a Treasury briefing the day before this decision was made public that said: "Treasury officials were not confident that the actual cost of the decision is clear in the material provided."?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Because we often receive briefings.Julie Anne Genter: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was pretty specific and it was—Mr SPEAKER: On this occasion I will invite the member to go back and look at the question. When she looks at the question she will see that it has been addressed by the Minister. Sharpen up the supplementary questions. [Interruption] Order! I have dealt with that matter. If the member has a further supplementary question we will hear it; otherwise we are moving on.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table a Treasury briefing to Ministers obtained under the Official Information Act showing that Treasury raised concerns a day before the decision was made public that the cost of the decision—Mr SPEAKER: Order! We do not need anything further. Leave is sought to table that particular Treasury briefing. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is objection.Julie Anne Genter: If the Minister is so confident can he provide any evidence to counter the conclusions of these independent and internal reports showing that new diesel trains will cost more and are less reliable than electric ones?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Yes I can. Ultimately there have been many reports but they all culminated across about 2 years in a business case. In short the business case made it quite clear that the status quo was more cost effective—actually much more cost effective—that the change would have been hugely disruptive to the KiwiRail business and its customers resulting in loss of customers quite probably and that actually the status quo in terms of not seeing that freight go on to the roads has resulted in fewer emissions than would have been the case."