6. HEATHER ROY (Deputy Leader—ACT) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
Does the Minister stand by her statement that the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s regional strategy “fits well with the Government’s overall goals of economic transformation and sustainability.”; if so, what are the benefits in terms of carbon emissions from the Government’s decision to fund 90 percent of Wellington’s new rail units?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Associate Minister of Transport) Link to this
Yes. The new rail units are part of the ongoing commitment of the Government and the Greater Wellington Regional Council to a sustainable transport system for the region.
Is the Minister aware that the business case used to justify buying rail units rather than diesel buses is full of errors, including using the outrageous assumption that buses use 2.8 litres of fuel per kilometre—10 times the real usage figure—to calculate carbon dioxide emissions, and that the Government is actually funding 90 percent of the cost of trains that will emit twice as much carbon dioxide as buses do?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
We have moved in the last 8 years to follow the regional councils’ priorities expressed through their regional land transport strategies. This strategy for Wellington has been argued for many years, and given that the rail system provides 70 percent of public transport journeys at peak times and has serious bottlenecks, I am happy to say that I think this new provision will address the issues that Wellington and the Government are concerned about.
Madam SPEAKERI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Minister failed to address my question, at all. It was very specific, and asked whether the Minister was aware that the business case was full of errors. She described in great detail what a great strategy it was that she was endorsing, but she failed to answer my question, which was whether she was aware that the business case was full of errors. I cited a very specific example, and she referred to that not once in her answer.
Although members cannot require a specific answer, the Minister may like to address that point in the question.
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
It is a debatable issue, and it has been debated endlessly at most regional councils.
Hon Peter DunneWill she confirm the rail funding decision, and the announcement in the Budget earlier this year of the upgrade of the Johnsonville line in order to secure that line’s future, notwithstanding private criticism from the new chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council that the Government was wrong last year to dismiss out of hand the flawed plan from the Mayor of Wellington and the Wellington City Council to close the Johnsonville line and turn it into a busway?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
As the former Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues, I have done my best to avoid many of the details of Wellington issues, but the Minister of Transport, undoubtedly, is aware of that issue and has taken it into consideration. Our concern is to make sure that we have a rail system in Wellington that is useful for both passengers and freight; that the older trains—some of which are more than 70 years old—are replaced; and that we have a rail system that provides affordability and sustainability, and an ability to increase frequency and capacity. I am delighted to say that it does that.
Sue KedgleyCan the Minister guarantee Wellingtonians that the entire rail-track in the Wellington region will be upgraded in time for the arrival of the new, smart electric rail units in 2010, and that that will include fixing all the rotting poles, the parts of the track that have been buckling, and so forth; and can she further confirm that unless this upgrade is completed in time, these wonderful new, smart trains will not be going anywhere?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
I can tell Wellingtonians that the key objective of the $885 million package is to make sure that the work is done on time and sustainably. I am told that the track upgrades are scheduled to coincide with the arrival of the new trains in 2010.
How is her goal of economic transformation enhanced by giving a $200 million subsidy to rail at the expense of roading projects to relieve congestion, including congestion at Transmission Gully, Ngauranga Gorge, Kilbirnie, and the Basin Reserve; and how is sustainability achieved when her Government has endorsed a scheme that doubles carbon emissions by choosing rail over other infrastructure?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
What we have in New Zealand is an intermodal system, which we hope is going to be better integrated. But I would also note that that member said in her own diary on the ACT party’s news website: “… our love affair with cars is too passionate—restricting emissions would mean restricting car use, which would lose votes. There has been much talk about public transport, … Overcoming the psychological barrier is a major undertaking.” I think that providing up-to-date rail services in a region where 70 percent of public transport is rail transport is probably a good way of changing the psychological mindset.
I seek leave to table the Wellington commuter rail alternative to roading evaluation, which shows the—
I seek leave of the House to table the Wellington commuter rail network business case, which is released—