7. Question No. 7—TransportHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of TransportQuestion No. 7—Transport7. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Minister of Transport: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions in relation to the Clean Car Programme?Hon MICHAEL WOOD (Minister of Transport): Yes particularly when I said yesterday that It's inherent in the design of the Clean Car Standard that we're providing importers with a tool to go back to manufacturers to actually bring cleaner vehicles into New Zealand."Hon Michael Woodhouse: Given that answer has he seen comments from Motor Industry Association CEO David Crawford last week who said "Speculation by Ministers of when models are coming to the market is unhelpful and potentially misleading. At worst it becomes a death knell to business continuity."?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Yes I've seen those comments from Mr Crawford. I've also seen the comments from Mr Crawford and the Motor Industry Association (MIA) welcoming the Clean Car Discount as an important tool to bring cleaner vehicles into New Zealand at a cheaper price for Kiwi consumers.Hon Michael Woodhouse: If he's seen those comments why does he continue to say full electric utes will be available within 12 to 24 months when MIA advise they won't be available till after 2025 at the earliest?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In the first instance the member needs to be aware that 64 percent of the utes purchased in New Zealand will not be impacted by the Clean Car Discount scheme because they're bought and sold on the second-hand market to which fees and discounts do not apply. Secondly in discussion with the MIA I've confirmed that at least one manufacturer has the expectation that they will be bringing in an electric vehicle within the next 12 to 24 months and that others are working hard on doing exactly the same thing.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Can he confirm that if due to demand funds for the car subsidies run out they will be paused and does the policy apply in reverse such that if the policy is bringing in more than it pays out he will pause clean car fees?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The scheme is designed to be a fiscally neutral scheme funded through a $300 million repayable loan from the Crown and it has been structured in such a way that the scheme pays out and brings in income within the confines of that structure. It is not our expectation that that fund will run out anytime soon.David Seymour: Point of order. I was extremely interested in the answer to that question: if there is more money coming in than going out will the Government stop collecting the fees on the vehicles which have fees attached to them. Now we didn't get even close to addressing that just various speculations and it actually is something that I'd really like to know the answer to and so would a lot of people.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'll get the member to ask the question again.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Can he confirm that if due to demand funds for the car subsidies run out they will be paused and does the policy apply in reverse such that if the policy is bringing in more than it pays out he will pause clean car fees?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In answer to the first part of the question that has been made very clear that that is the case in all of the information that we've put out about the Clean Car Discount.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does the policy apply in reverse such that if the policy is bringing in more than it pays out he will pause clean car fees?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: That is not envisaged and is not part of the policy design.Hon Michael Woodhouse: In that case if the target of 19000 low- and no-emissions vehicles is not met next year this will be a massive tax grab?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The Government does not have a target for the Clean Car Discount scheme but what has been announced is that all of the indications are—and all of the indications since the scheme has been announced—that there is huge interest from Kiwis in getting into cleaner vehicles. We fully expect that large numbers of people will come forward to take advantage of the Clean Car Discount.Hon David Parker: Would it be necessary for the Minister to have obtained $300 million funding for the scheme if it was going to be as the Opposition seem to think a cash cow rather than something that's eventually repaid funded at the start?Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well the member is quite right. The design of the scheme is that the $300 million loan is repaid within 10 years. I think what all members need to understand about this policy is that Kiwis are very very keen to get into cleaner vehicles at a lower price. I quote from one member of this House who has said that they have very much enjoyed the experience of getting into a Hyundai Kona vehicle because of the lower running costs and I think that other people in New Zealand deserve that same opportunity as the Hon Scott Simpson.Chris Bishop: Point of order. Thank you Mr Speaker. It's been the practice of the Speaker who you are acting instead of today to award additional supplementaries with a very strict rule when speakers are asking supplementary questions if they're interrupted by other members. During one of Mr Woodhouse's supplementaries there was a consistent barrage from Ms Genter. We don't get many supplementaries Mr Speaker. I think it would be good if we had a few more.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just in response to that I'm not operating under that system. I've also not deleted any questions as well and there was the same issue on one of the earlier questions and I did not take questions off the member.Chris Bishop: Point of order. OK so just for clarity when Mr Mallard is the Speaker we've got the yellow card up and down points system and when you Mr Rurawhe are acting as the Acting Speaker in the Chair that doesn't apply. Just so we're aware.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes it's not my intention to do that and as I pointed out there was an occasion—[Interruption] I'll stand. There was an occasion earlier on when Mr Paul Eagle was asking his question; there were several interjections from this side. I did not take any questions off the members.Matt Doocey: Point of order Mr Speaker. By you saying you're not undertaking that system are you saying it's not a good system Mr Speaker?DEPUTY SPEAKER: No no.Hon Todd McClay: Point of order. I seek leave of the House for you to continue as Speaker!DEPUTY SPEAKER: That's not helpful Mr McClay—ha ha!"