9. Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Co-Leader—Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
Can she confirm that yesterday the Government announced in this year’s National Land Transport Programme a public transport budget of $325 million, and a roading budget of $1.94 billion—in other words, six times more for roads than for public transport?
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Transport) Link to this
Yes, this year’s National Land Transport Programme allocates a record $2.7 billion for the development of New Zealand’s transport network. The programme provides 24 percent more funding for public transport than last year—more than double the 11 percent increase in funding for roads. However, as well as the record $325 million National Land Transport Programme investment in public transport, the Government is investing an additional $300 million in rail infrastructure. I think it is worth remembering that public transport funding was frozen at $40 million a year throughout the 1990s, and has been increased 15 times by this Government.
Is it not true that the Government is still on the biggest road-building binge this nation has ever seen, and does that not show that this Government is in deep denial about the end of cheap oil?
No, but the Government is committed to continuing to maintain and build roads in New Zealand, because we need good roads for passenger transport as well as for our cars. I think it is important to remember where the revenue to pay for our passenger transport is being taken from: it is coming from the users of our roads.
Hon David Benson-Pope Link to this
Can the Minister share with the House other advances that the Government has made, and any other reports that she has seen in respect of public transport?
Today is a great day for passenger transport in New Zealand, because today our country’s rail and ferry services were transferred back into Government ownership. The purchase of those services will substantially benefit all New Zealanders in terms of more energy-efficient transport of passengers and freight. I believe we can now make some strategic decisions on investment that are needed not only in terms of rail but also in terms of an overall sustainable transport system.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
Will the Minister confirm that, for the good of our economic and social well-being, this country needs to inject more capital into roading, and there needs to be a balance between funding for roads and funding for other transport modes; does she believe that she has got the balance correct, or is it correct that, as every Australian knows, we cannot have good public bus transport without good, efficient public roads?
Deciding the priorities for expenditure of the National Land Transport Fund is very difficult because there are many more demands than there is money within the fund. So what we have done is give a reasonable balance between those priorities. We cannot stop building and maintaining roads; in fact, the Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons acknowledged that recently at a forum that I was at with her—we will always need roads. But getting right the balance between roads and passenger transport is very important. We have committed more money to passenger transport than any other Government has done, and we will continue to do so.
When will the Ministers of this Government get out of their Crown cars, catch the bus to work as I did this morning, and realise that the public transport system is groaning and bursting at the seams as, owing to higher petrol prices, people get out of their cars and try to catch a bus or train to work, only to find that the system has been underfunded and under-invested in for many, many years?
I suggest that the member first directs his anger at the lack of investment in passenger transport right throughout the 1990s. He may have noticed that I said the amount was $40 million a year. In the 9 years that Labour has been in Government there has been considerable investment in passenger transport, and we are committed to doing more. So I feel a little aggrieved at the attack on our funding of passenger transport. I also say to the member that a large number of my colleagues walk to work; others, including me, have a bus ticket and have caught the bus to work.
Hon Jim AndertonHas the Minister received any reports on the VIP car service that is available from Selwyn Street in Spreydon to the Beehive in Wellington?
No, I have not. But let us be straight about this: there are members of Parliament who travel here in VIP cars; there are members of Parliament who drive their own cars; there are members of Parliament who catch taxis; and there are members of Parliament who ride a bike or walk. Their means of transport is their choice. I do not think we ought to judge people’s choices in that way. We ought to encourage people to use other modes of transport whenever they can, and that is certainly what we have been doing.
Has the Minister received any advice that there is a connection between the woeful underfunding of public transport in this country and the fact that five party leaders of five political parties in this Parliament are driven around each day in Crown cars, and have no idea what it is like out there because they do not know what is going on with public transport?
That is a very unfortunate assumption to make about party leaders in this Parliament. I think the member is drawing a long bow to say they do not know what is happening in terms of passenger transport. I can certainly speak for the Prime Minister, who is very aware of passenger transport, and is very aware of being responsible for the Northern Busway, which was one of the biggest public transport projects ever funded in New Zealand, and which was funded by this Government. I believe that many members in this House are very aware of the importance of public transport, and I suggest we ought to work together on that issue, rather than that member whipping up a political storm for political purposes.