Bridges SimonHon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister of Transport): The National Government is the Government of infrastructure and if anyone needed any persuasion on that if there was any doubt whatsoever I have got two small words for them: Waterview tunnel.Hon Trevor Mallard: Thank you Helen Clark.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: It started Mr Mallard under the National Government and was completed under the National Government and the scale of this project which was officially opened—Phil Twyford: Two words: Helen Clark.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —earlier this week Sunday. Phil Twyford was there he loved every moment of it—I know that—even though it was a National Government success. He was there and thousands of people from all over Auckland—actually from all over New Zealand—came through that and were really chuffed to see what an exciting scale of project it is. It is some two harbour bridges in length either way three lanes in each direction—the biggest the most complex transport infrastructural—Hon Trevor Mallard: How are those bridges going in Northland?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —project New Zealand—really well—has ever ever seen. What it means for Aucklanders is transformative. What it means quite simply is the biggest transformation in travel patterns—Grant Robertson: This is going to lead the news.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —in our biggest city in 60 years Mr Robertson since the harbour bridge came online in 1959. Phil Twyford: What about the gridlock?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: What it will do Mr Twyford is fundamentally mean more capacity on our State highway network a bypassing of the city more options for Aucklanders and I know they want to see that—particularly actually from the areas Phil Twyford says he represents and lives in. They will get in and around much better. More than that it is going to free up local roads significantly—whether it is Carrington Road whether it is Sandringham Road whether it is Dominion Road Gillies Avenue Manukau Road it is going to make a really significant difference. It is not a silver bullet but it is with other projects going to make a very significant difference.It is part of the Government's comprehensive plan for Auckland and its transportation. We have been working incredibly hard on this and people in Auckland and around New Zealand know that and are starting to see it with the cranes with the construction that is happening everywhere over Auckland but also around New Zealand. There is $4 billion—Sue Moroney: Why are people stuck in their cars not going anywhere?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —in new money Sue Moroney in the Budget the most we have seen in the 2000s. It is actually part of a 4-year $11 billion group of infrastructural capital expenditure. Over 4 years it is going to make a really big difference—all of it new money the dividends of a strongly growing economy. In fact it is better than that because outside of just the new money coming from the Government from this part of Government there is over and above that $32.5 billion of infrastructure investment—Grant Robertson: You can take your numbers up now.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —over the next 4 years. That is $9 billion in State highways Mr Robertson. You may laugh you may scoff but it is the biggest investment in infrastructure we have seen in recent times—possibly in any times—in a range of projects: roads; rail really big investment going to rail; cycleways; public transport—Hon Paul Goldsmith: Broadband.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —busways but also you are right in other areas outside of just transportation whether it is broadband whether it is schools and so on. Let me just go through some of that. In education through the Budget there was $392 million more investment into schools around New Zealand. That is going to make a really big difference. Defence—there was over half a billion dollars of investment in that area. In housing there was $120 million in new money. In health there was $150 million of capital expenditure and in the justice sector there was $786 million. So this is the Government of infrastructure. I am really delighted to see projects that are going to make a really big difference for Aucklanders come online like Waterview Connection and other projects all around New Zealand—Sue Moroney: The Government of gridlock.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —like the Waikato Expressway which Sue Moroney has opposed for a long time but which she knows the people of Hamilton are really excited about because of the efficiency the productivity and the difference it makes. This is the Government of infrastructure making a really big difference all around New Zealand.