7. SUE MORONEY (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What changes has the Government made to transport policy over the past 18 months to meet the transport challenges of the future?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) Link to this
Many, but to name just a few: the hypothecation of all petrol tax, providing a revenue guarantee to the National Land Transport Programme and a cost guarantee to the 5-year State highway construction plan, which we are extending to a 6-year commitment; developing a long-term inter-modal transport strategy covering roading, shipping, rail, public transport, walking, and cycling; and implementing a new funding and planning structure for the transport sector to provide more strategic guidance, simplify the planning cycle, and reduce planning churn.
I have seen John Key’s first transport speech, which he delivered last weekend. I was flattered at Mr Key’s endorsement of all the initiatives I have just mentioned. National has come to the Labour Party on roading. I have to say it is a pretty sorry state of affairs when a political party has to copy other parties’ policies, and it is no wonder that Mr Key has become known as “Mr Me Too”.
Oh, there is a lot of interest up here, Madam Speaker. If you can get them quiet I will be able to give them the answer. [ Interruption] Come on, Gerry, cheer up—you had a bad caucus. Cheer up, Gerry.
Madam SPEAKERPlease be seated. As I said, this chipping across the Chamber does not help question time in terms of all members being able to hear each other speak. Would the Minister please respond.
I was asked what investment the Government has made into roading. Central government investment in roading has doubled from $850 million in 1999 to an allocation of $1.7 billion in 2007-08. Just over half this money is spent on new roads, like Harbour Link, Dowse to Petone, the northern busway, the Mt Roskill extension, and the Albany to Pūhoi realignment B2, yet Mr Key says there has been an artificial cap on building new roads and we need to move out of maintenance mode. Well, I have to say that it was the National Party that was in maintenance mode, and it was a pretty sorry maintenance mode at that. I feel that someone is feeding Mr Key a load of manure. He obviously cannot see what is happening around him when he drives from the airport to his home in Paratai Drive.