3. TE URUROA FLAVELL (Māori Party—Waiariki) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
Ka aha ia ki te whakapaipai ake i te āhua o ngā rori i te tuawhenua, he hapori Māori nei te nuinga o ngā tāngata ki reira, ā, e kiia nei e ētahi, he pērā aua rori ki ngā mea o ngā ao pōhara rawa atu?
[What will he do to improve the conditions of roads in rural, predominately Māori communities, some of which have been described as of third world status?]
Hon NATHAN GUY (Associate Minister of Transport) Link to this
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Does he agree with Nā Raihānia, the Māori Party candidate for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, in his characterisation of several of the roads on the East Coast as “shocking”, “extreme”, and “dangerous”; and will the Minister take up the offer from Mr Raihania, the mayor of Gisborne, and the chair of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou to see the roads in person, as the Minister did recently with the mayor, the chief executive, and councillors of the Far North District Council?
No, I do not agree with those statements. What I can say is that the Government is investing millions of dollars in the Maraenui Hill deviation, which is currently under way in pretty difficult terrain. Of course, the member will know that last year significant investment was made in the Busby Hill deviation, which is making a huge amount of difference for the Gisborne region.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Can he advise where the East Coast roads from Gisborne to Ruatōria, or the roads from Ruatōria to Ōpōtiki and Te Waiariki, are sitting in terms of priority over the next 10 years?
The areas that the member has just raised fall within those two deviation areas, and we are already addressing that issue.
Hon Shane JonesKia ora, Mr Speaker. Mehemea e rite ana wēnei moni, pēhea ngā whakaaro o te Minita ki te reo whakahāwea mai i a Lawrence Yule, he koretake ngā moni hei whakatikatika i ngā rori ki tuawhenua?
[If these funds were the same, what does the Minister think about the disparaging remark by Lawrence Yule that funds for improving rural roads were hopeless?]
That member should be well aware that we have increased the renewals in the State highway budget from what was invested previously by the Labour Government. We have increased them from $561 million to $633 million. Also, maintenance and operation of State highways has increased from $809 million to $897 million. There is significant investment there, and I tend to disagree with Mr Yule’s comments.