7. Hon MARK GOSCHE (Labour—Maungakiekie) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What significant advances are being made to Auckland’s passenger transport network?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) Link to this
Aucklanders will see new electric trains that provide faster, cleaner, and quieter trips, with less crowding, by 2013 at the latest, thanks to a joint central government - Auckland initiative to fund $1 billion of Auckland rail electrification. At peak times trains will run at 10-minute frequencies. There will be better links to other public transport, and safe, modern facilities at train stations. There will be integrated ticketing, and additional bus and ferry services to meet the demand of the wider Auckland region, including the north. Also, the northern busway will open next year.
What reports has she seen on proposals for a regional fuel tax in Auckland to help fund a range of land transport projects?
I have seen some hugely positive press releases, and let me share some of them with members. The Mayor of North Shore wanted to thank the Government formally for what he called a watershed day, and the Mayor of Papakura has said that the provision is extremely positive for Auckland in the long term. We have had the Mayor of Rodney District saying he is absolutely delighted. We have also had the Mayor of Auckland saying it was a momentous day for Auckland. We have even had the chamber of commerce say the regional petrol tax of up to 10c a litre will kick-start electrification of the rail network, progress the western ring route, and allow long-debated projects like Penlink to get moving.
Hon Maurice Williamson Link to this
Can the Minister tell us why her first reaction is always to reach for the “increase tax” lever, even when this Budget shows a $1.7 billion cash surplus, and can she please explain what sort of fuzzy logic she used to come to the conclusion that long-suffering motorists in Auckland—many of whom will never have a railway line even within cooee of their suburbs—who sit locked and blocked in traffic jams, and truckies, taxi drivers, ferry operators, bus operators, and even boaties, will be asked to pay this tax to electrify some mythical railway line in some part of town that they will never see or use?
Can I thank the member for the question. He has explained just exactly why we want to remove off the road the cars, the trucks, the boats, and everything else. The way to do that is to get people on to public transport. When it comes to the member’s question about why we always reach for the tax lever, Mr Williamson has announced that, under National, the people of Auckland could look forward to having all their roads tolled. Is that a tax or not?
Jeanette Fitzsimons Link to this
How much of the $600 million over 6 years identified in the Budget for Auckland and Wellington urban rail will be spent in Auckland, and how much of that will be interest and how much will be principal?
It is all principal. Around $500 million will be spent in Auckland and around $100 million in Wellington.
Keith Locke