Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Fenton Darien: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:649;Page:17904] 
7.  
DARIEN FENTON (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: What update can she provide on progress on Auckland land transport infrastructure? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 Today I released a report from the Waterview Connection procurement steering group and welcomed its finding that procuring the Waterview Connection of Auckland’s western ring route as a public-private partnership could deliver greater value than conventional procurement. The Government has asked officials to undertake further work as quickly as possible to enable a final decision to be made consistent with international best practice. 
Darien Fenton 
: What other reports has the Minister seen on Auckland land transport infrastructure? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I have seen a transcript from the  
Agenda  
programme last Sunday where Maurice Williamson said that tolling the new Kopu Bridge was an example of National Party policy. Under the existing legislation that is not possible because a free alternative route to any toll road must be provided. We now know what National thinks a free alternative route is—it is a 47 kilometre drive on a mixture of local roads or on State highways to bypass the bridge or a 60 kilometre drive just on State highways. The truth is the Kopu Bridge will be built anyway starting in 2010-11. It will be fully funded by the Government and it will not need any toll from Mr Williamson or the National Party. 
Hon Jim Anderton 
: If the Government were to introduce a $50-a-week toll for using roads how much would be left over from a $50-a-week tax cut? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Well obviously not very much if a person were to travel on just one of National’s toll roads. But imagine if one had to travel on one of them that cost $5—or $50 a week—and then one went across the Auckland Harbour Bridge which the National Party believes ought to be tolled. That would probably cost another $5 each way and now one is paying up to $100 a week—in fact one is out of pocket. 
Hon Bill English 
: Why is the Minister able to comment on everyone else’s tolling policy but not tell the House today what Labour’s policy on tolls is except that it looks like its $2 toll on the Waterview Connection would wipe out the tax cut Labour has promised? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: If my mother was talking to Bill English she would say he had cloth ears. I have set out very clearly where this Government stands on tolls. National wants to charge at least $5 a week and as much as $10 if it is going to fund all toll roads and all major roads out of tolls. 
Peter Brown 
: Am I correct in thinking that a public-private partnership will borrow money at a higher rate of interest than the Government and that it will need to make a profit which over a 30 or 35-year time frame will make a significant cost on a $2 billion project? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: It very much depends on how the public-private partnership is constructed and that is why we have been doing extra work and getting additional information before we make the final decision. But there are different ways of funding a public-private partnership and obviously that is part of the mix. I seek leave to table the report  
Progressing the Waterview Connection as a public private partnership 
— 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.