5. Roading Auckland—East-West LinkJULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of TransportRoading Auckland—East-West Link5. JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green) to the Minister of Transport: On what date was the most recent cost-benefit analysis for the East-West Link project published and what were the project's total estimated costs and total estimated benefits in that analysis?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): The most recent cost-benefit analysis for the East-West Link project was published in December 2015 as part of the detailed business case for the project. The expected capital cost for the project in 2015 dollars was $1.05 billion and the benefits of the project in net present value are $1.764 billion. The project's estimated costs and benefits are as reported in the detailed business case which is available on the Transport Agency's website. The commonly referred to cost figure of $1.25 billion is an escalated capital cost figure which is equivalent to the $1.05 billion unescalated capital cost figure referenced in the detailed business case. Escalated capital cost is used for funding applications for subsequent phases to account for inflation. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: I am just waiting for a bit of silence.Julie Anne Genter: Can he confirm that the estimated cost of the East-West Link project has increased by almost $1 billion since that analysis was completed from $918 million—or $1.05 billion as he said in net present value—to $1.9 billion according to the New Zealand Transport Agency?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table a memo obtained from the New Zealand Transport Agency under the Official Information Act (OIA) showing the estimated cost of this project is now $1.9 billion.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Julie Anne Genter: Can he confirm that in 2015 his Transport Agency estimated the benefits of the East-West Link project to be $1.7 billion so if the cost of the project is now $1.9 billion this means the project will actually lose the country money?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No. I think the member is wrong. I appreciate that she is New Zealand's foremost transport economist but on this occasion she is wrong. The benefit-cost ratio the best estimate is $1.9 billion. This is a very strong project that will make a really strong difference not just to Auckland but to New Zealand in transportation terms.Julie Anne Genter: Is it not strange that now the costs outweigh the benefits of the project the Transport Agency's own economist gave evidence last week that said: I have not prepared a quantitative assessment of the economic costs of the Project. Neither have I quantified the benefits."?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I am not sure what the member is asking me to say. I appreciate she hates roads but this will be a great one.Julie Anne Genter: Will the Minister admit that it is a double standard for his Government to fast track a $2 billion highway project with costs that outweigh the benefits and at the same time tell Aucklanders that they have to wait 30 years for rail to the airport and that we do not have the money to pay for critical rail freight projects—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Bring the question to a conclusion.Julie Anne Genter —like the third main line in Auckland?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No not at all. This is a Government that is strong across infrastructure across the board whether it is road rail public transport or cycleways. I think the double standard is to use roads when you hate them.Julie Anne Genter: Does the Minister understand that unlike the East-West Link project rail to the airport and the third main rail freight line will actually make it easier for far more people and far more freight to travel through Auckland and that for both these projects the benefits far outweigh the costs? Why is that not his priority?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I probably do not understand as much as New Zealand's foremost transport economist sitting across the road and that is a big acknowledgment from me but what I can say is that we like and we support projects across the board whether it is road rail public transport or cycleways. What is true about the third main project that she keeps referring to is that it is simply at an earlier stage in its investment process.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Why is this Minister allowed four insults in four answers whilst he mangles the English language syllable by syllable?Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Just ruling on the matter raised by the Rt Hon Winston Peters my job is to see the question is addressed. It is then for this House and the public to judge the quality of the answer.Julie Anne Genter: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do not take offence at the insults. I know it is because the Minister does not have a good argument.Mr SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.Julie Anne Genter: Point of order.Mr SPEAKER: Well will this be a point of order? I hope so.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table a memo from the New Zealand Transport Agency obtained under the Official Information Act that shows rail to the airport costs $1 billion and the benefits far outweigh the costs.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular document sourced under the OIA. Is there any objection? There is none.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Julie Anne Genter: I seek leave to table the business case for the third main rail line which states the forecast benefits significantly exceed the expected costs.Mr SPEAKER: Can I just clarify that that is not publicly available?Julie Anne Genter: I am concerned the Minister might try to obstruct—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No—[Interruption] Order! I have said on many occasions that if you seek to table something it is your duty to have found out whether it is publicly available. If you cannot give me that assurance I am not putting the leave.Julie Anne Genter: Is the real reason Aucklanders are stuck sitting in traffic not that rail to the airport or rail to the North Shore or a third main rail line are too expensive but that his Government is wasting money and wasting our time on uneconomic billion-dollar motorway projects like the East-West Link?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: No it is because there is a lot of growth in Auckland. If you take the East-West Link project this is a project that is significant that Auckland Council has prioritised and that Auckland business has prioritised not just over a few years but over a very long time. When it is built it will make a really significant difference in congestion terms as I say not just actually to Auckland but across New Zealand given its national significance."