10. HEKIA PARATA (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What is the expected increase in spending on new State highway construction over the next 3 years?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) Link to this
The Government will spend almost a billion dollars extra on new State highway construction over the next 3 years. This represents an increase of 45 percent compared with that proposed by the previous Government. This increase will allow us to build safer and less congested roads. We will invest in infrastructure that will boost this country’s productivity, help our companies grow, and create jobs.
Simon BridgesThe Government has identified the first seven roads of national significance, on which we expect very significant progress to be made over the next 10 years, alongside other projects already planned for around the country. These are in or adjacent to our five largest metropolitan centres. They include the Pūhoi to Wellsford link, the Auckland western ring route completion, the Victoria Park bottleneck, the Waikato Expressway, the Levin to Wellington corridor, the Christchurch motorway projects, and of course the Tauranga Eastern Motorway corridor, which leads into the member’s electorate.
Amy AdamsThe roads of the Christchurch motorway projects have been named as roads of national significance. This means we expect to make significant progress in development over the next 10 years, which will be a heck of a lot more development than was made over the last 10 years. By investing in these corridors we will improve freight efficiency to Port Lyttelton, provide an improved western bypass around Christchurch, and improve safety on those roads. In addition, improved roading corridors will improve public transport performance and encourage more people to commute by bus.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
Is it correct that no additional funding has been tagged to any of these seven roads of national significance; if so, could the Minister assist the House by ranking the Government’s priority list of these so-called significant roads from No. 1 to No. 7?
The member may not be aware that the New Zealand Transport Agency is responsible for the particular projects. It is the Government’s job, firstly, to provide some funding—which the previous Government signally failed to do when it cut funding by 9 percent—so we have increased that by about $4.5 billion over the next 10 years, and, secondly, to signal projects of national significance, which we have chosen because they are the most important projects for New Zealand’s economy and productivity.
David BennettFollowing on from our election pledge to complete the Waikato Expressway within 10 years, we have nominated this road as being one of national significance. This reinforces our commitment to the people of the Waikato that they will not have to wait the decades they would have waited under the previous Government. This section of State Highway 1 is the main southern road access to Auckland, and links New Zealand’s golden triangle of population and economic growth—Auckland, Waikato, and the Bay of Plenty. It is clear that completing the Waikato Expressway will fuel long-term economic growth and boost national productivity.
Keith LockeI raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it possible for the Minister to table the list of new roading projects that he has referred to?
Mr SPEAKERI just ask the honourable Minister whether he was reading from an official document or material prepared for his answer.
It was material prepared for my answer, Mr Speaker. I would be happy to table the press release that announces the seven projects, if the member would prefer.
That will not be necessary. The point of order related to the fact that if the Minister was quoting from an official document, then leave could be sought to have it tabled, but it does not relate to material prepared just for his answer.
Keith Locke: I seek leave to table a list of the new public transport projects—namely, a blank sheet of paper.
I guess I have to ask the House whether there is any objection to a blank sheet of paper being tabled. There is no objection—[ Interruption] There is dispute as to whether there was objection; I will seek leave again before the document is tabled. Leave is sought to table a blank sheet of paper. Is there any objection? There is no objection.