8. Question No. 8—TransportSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 8—Transport8. SIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga) to the Minister of Transport: On what date did he first write to Labour MPs encouraging them to put forward bids for funding under the $350 million Transport Choices package and on what date did NZTA open expressions of interest for councils to bid for the funding?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): I reject the assertion in the member's question. The Transport Choices package was announced publicly in May as part of Budget 2022. On 27 June I wrote to my Labour colleagues reminding them of the purpose of the fund and encouraged them to engage with their communities and councils to help in the collation of ideas for it. MPs did not make bids that were assessed by Waka Kotahi. The Transport Choices package will support 397 new or upgraded bus stops 242 kilometres of new or upgraded cycleways 119 school improvements 29 more walkable neighbourhoods and 11 new bus prioritisation lanes. All 46 councils who put in a bid received funding for projects in their areas—all of them. These projects will help make our towns and cities more people-friendly places. They will reduce emissions and make life better for local residents in many towns and cities all around New Zealand.Simeon Brown: When he wrote to Labour MPs on 27 June saying that if they would like to bring potential projects in your area to my attention please contact my office." how is that not a political slush fund when councils couldn't express interest until over one month later?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I can explain that very very clearly and again I reject the assertion in the member's question. I provide that member and the House with assurance that I would not conduct the affairs of my ministry in that way and neither would Waka Kotahi who were the ones who made the recommendations for the expenditure of this fund. The way that the process worked was that Waka Kotahi engaged with councils they collected the ideas that came through from councils and communities and then put through recommendations to joint Ministers. The one significant change that I made to the recommendation that was brought through from Waka Kotahi is that they recommended funding went to 42 of the 46 councils who applied; I thought it would be more equitable to ensure that all councils who applied received funding and so I asked that that happened. That included funding going to councils such as the Invercargill City Council and the Ruapehu District Council which are of course represented by National Party MPs. Again I say to the member that the way that this process went about was through the collation of bids that came from councils and an assessment of those based on their merits and based on the criteria.Simeon Brown: So why then did the Minister choose to write to Labour MPs over one month before expressions of interest were open for councils and why then did he not write to all members of Parliament?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: I'm very happy to provide the full context of the comments that I made to Labour MPs in the letter that I sent to them. I said "As Waka Kotahi engages with councils about possible programmes for investment I want to encourage you to spread the message about how critical providing competitive transport choices is to reducing emissions and support these important initiatives as they get under way. You may also want to encourage councils to identify which gaps in their networks and supporting investments may make the greatest difference to people's transport choices." Our Government is one that is investing to give people greater transport choices and to invest in a low-emissions transport infrastructure. I know that the National Party criticises every investment we make to reduce emissions within the transport system but even this is desperate for them. Again I repeat to the House that 46 councils from around the country applied for funding and 46 councils received funding for projects. There was no favouritism in that.Simeon Brown: Why did the Minister write to Labour MPs on 27 June one month prior to councils being able to put an expression of interest in saying that if they "would like to bring potential projects in your area to my attention please contact my office." and why didn't that go to all MPs?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Because it is perfectly normal for Government MPs to support Government policies and to talk with Ministers about things they want to advocate for."