7. SUE KEDGLEY (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Finance
Has he been informed that thousands of New Zealanders have signed a petition to overturn the axing of the Overlander rail service; if so, is he prepared to offer any support to save the service?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Minister of Finance) Link to this
Yes, and not at this point, because I am still to see a sensible proposal for a rescue package.
Has the Minister travelled on the Overlander recently and experienced the spectacular journey through the volcanic plateau and the 1,000-year-old virgin rimu forests, and over 14 viaducts and through the tunnels that make up the engineering marvel that is the Raurimu Spiral; if not, will he agree to take the journey so that he can see firsthand the huge tourism potential of the service before this Government allows it to be axed?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
No, I do not usually have 12 hours to travel from Auckland to Wellington, and the pleasure sounds like too much for my elderly soul to manage.
Keith LockeIs the Minister aware that the newly launched passenger rail service between Adelaide and Perth is so popular that people have to book 2 or 3 years ahead; is it not folly to axe the North Island’s last long-distance passenger train just as other countries, for various reasons—not the least of them being climate change—are investing heavily in passenger rail?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I do not think the climate change argument is very impressive. First of all, part of the route requires electricity. The marginal generating capacity for that is thermal power, which is highly inefficient. Secondly, for the rest of the route, a very large diesel pulls a very small number of passengers.
Peter BrownIs the Minister aware that patronage of the Overlander has recently increased somewhat; that being the case, will he consider more seriously a modest subsidy for a modest length of time?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
The passenger usage has increased because the route will be closed and people are taking their last chances. That could lead to what one might call an “Irish solution” of continuing to announce the closure of the route every so often, in order to increase the patronage. However, I do not think that would work terribly effectively. Sooner or later, people would wake up to the con job.
Is the Minister aware that tourists taking the Overlander, such as the six I met yesterday, have had the most extraordinary difficulty in discovering that there was such a service, and have said that perhaps the aim was to discourage them from using the service rather than to encourage them; if, come 30 September, New Zealand does lose its last significant long-distance passenger rail service, would the Government be willing to fast track another suitable operator into running the service, by making a clear statement that ONTRACK would grant that operator fair access to a reliable track at a reasonable cost?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
The last part is obviously a matter for ONTRACK and not for the Government. It is not the last long-distance passenger rail service. It may be in the North Island, but there is another island to the south, where there are two long-distance passenger train services still in operation—not to mention, of course, the Otago Excursion Train Trust, which has operated very happily and very successfully for many years. As I said at the start, I am awaiting a sensible proposal. Some discussions will occur later this week; whether the proposals we see are sensible is another matter. What I am not prepared to do is to sign in advance a blank cheque for anything, on the grounds that carrying something like 70,000 passengers a year—and that is not 70,000 every day for a year; that is 70,000 over the entire year—warrants a subsidy of nearly $2 million a year.
I seek leave to table four documents. The first is a letter from the Mayor of Ruapehu District, supporting the service and pointing out that 13,000 passengers disembark in Ruapehu District, bringing in $4.3 million to the economy.
I seek leave to table a letter from the Mayor of Hamilton City, strongly supporting the continuance of the service and expressing the council’s strong disappointment with the New Zealand Government.
I seek leave to table a letter from Colin Meads of Te Kūiti, heartily endorsing the petition urging the Government to support the Overlander service.
I seek leave to table hundreds of comments that I picked up yesterday, which were written by New Zealanders and tourists at the Station Cafe and state, for example, that the Overlander is one of the great train journeys of the world, comparable with journeys through the Swiss Alps and the Canadian Rockies. Another states that it is the most beautiful train ride in the world, that this service must not be left to die, and that those who promote such a backwards step should hang their heads in shame.
I seek leave to table three letters from mayors. The first is from Bob Harvey, Mayor of Waitakere City, totally supporting the saving of this historic train service.
I seek leave to table a letter from Mark Ammon, Mayor of Waitomo District, also supporting the service.
I seek leave to table a letter from the Mayor of Palmerston North City, Heather Tanguay, stating how important the service is in bringing tourists.
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I just wonder whether any of the Greens have letters to table from any mayors offering to spend any money in support of the service.
Madam SPEAKER