10. DARIEN FENTON (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What decisions have been taken to give the land transport sector even greater certainty?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of State Services) Link to this
Good news—the guaranteed 5-year State highway plan announced in Budget 2006 will become a guaranteed 6-year plan to give the land transport sector even greater certainty. Before this year, funding was allocated on an annual basis; this guaranteed funding will provide certainty for Transit New Zealand, local government, and the construction industry. I can tell this House that the construction industry has warmly welcomed this announcement.
How serious is the Government about dealing with the neglect of the past, and investing in land transport in New Zealand?
The Government is very serious. Over the next 5 years, we will spend roughly $300 million more on land transport than we collect by way of petrol excise duties, road-user charges, or motor vehicle registration fees. We are serious because we are doing it. The National Party said that it would be committed to doing it over a 6-year period.
Peter BrownWill the Minister clarify the position and assure the House that this is not a case of taking the 5-year funding package and spreading it over 6; that there will, in fact, be additional funding for the 6 years?
Can I assure the member that that is not the case. In fact, in each 3-year interval, the funding will be reviewed, and the plan will be reviewed and updated so there will always be a rolling 3 years in which the construction industry will know what money they have. It is not a matter of spreading the money over 6 years; it is having a 6-year funding certainty for the sector.
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
Does the Minister agree that in a world of rapidly rising oil prices and accelerating climate change, a world-class transport network that “moves people and goods safely, sustainably, and efficiently”, to quote her press release, cannot rely only on cars and trucks; and what greater certainty can she offer that the rail system and urban commuter rail will be upgraded and services expanded?
Yes, I agree with the member’s comments, because they are the comments I have made today. This Government is committed to passenger transport, which is one of the reasons that we purchased back the rail, that we are investing $600 million below track in the Auckland area and $200 million on tracks around New Zealand, and that we are committing $356 million in passenger transport. I ask the member to compare that with the $40 million that was spent on passenger transport by the National Government each year over the 1990s; the amount was frozen at $40 million.