6. Roading Auckland—East-West LinkHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of TransportRoading Auckland—East-West Link6. Hon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister of Transport: On what date is the Board of Inquiry due to deliver its draft decision on the East-West Link Road of National Significance?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): I do not have responsibility for the Environmental Protection Authority's board of inquiry. With respect to the road of national significance part of the member's question I am advised that the description of the East-West Link as such was simply an announcement by the National Party in its election campaign press release. With respect to the other part of the member's question I'm advised that the decision of the board of inquiry is due to be released on 14 November.Hon Judith Collins: On what date given that he now knows the date of the draft decision is the final decision of this board into the East-West Link road of national significance due since submissions closed eight months ago in March?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: That's a matter for the board of inquiry and I suggest that the member puts down a question to the Minister responsible.Hon Judith Collins: What is the cost in monetary terms for the process to date including the cost to the Crown the submitters and the New Zealand Transport Agency?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Approximately $50 million of taxpayers' money has been spent so far on the East-West Link but I want to reassure the member that that money will not be put to waste. The work done currently totals about $10 million worth. It includes construction of stage 1 improvements to Onehunga coming to $10 million. It includes the widening of State Highway 20 between Neilson Street and Queenstown Road and replacing the old Neilson Street rail bridge. The balance of about $40 million is for project investigations that will be very helpful in informing the Government on other aspects that may well be included in the newer high-value lower-cost option that our Government is considering.Hon Judith Collins: Does he agree with the statement of Phil Twyford on 20 June 2013 that the need for the East-West Link has long been obvious to New Zealanders?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I generally agree with that person. But I will say this: this Government agrees with Ken Shirley of the Road Transport Forum who said The East-West Link in its last iteration was very expensive and we probably need to look at something with lesser expense". He also said that the Road Transport Forum—Mr SPEAKER: No I think that's enough. I probably was being a bit kind to the member letting him go on after his first clause. Hon Judith Collins: Has he advised Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern that her publicly pre-empting the decision of the board of inquiry—by doing that she has opened up the Crown to potentially massive claims?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: I am sure that the considerable legal expertise of the member would allow her to understand that the board of inquiry is a Resource Management Act process designed to make decisions on the resource consent for the project. The board of inquiry has nothing to say about the economic merits or economic value of the project and is not a substitute for a decision by the Government on whether to go ahead with the project or not.Hon Judith Collins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was pretty clear: has he given this advice to the Prime Minister? He either has or he hasn't. Can he please answer it?Mr SPEAKER: And I think for the third time today I am going to say that both the asker of the question and I know what the answer is.Raymond Huo: What will the Government use any savings from the East-West Link for?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: The savings from a low-cost high-value option which this Government is exploring are expected to free up hundreds of millions of dollars which will be an additional contribution to the 10-year $15 billion programme of investments in Auckland's transport system that will deliver a congestion-free alternative to Aucklanders and get the roads moving once and for all."