employment laws, good health and safety laws, and that's what we've
invested in through this
safety laws, and that's what we've invested in through this Budget. I
call
invested in through this Budget. I call Denis O'Rourke. Thank you,
Mr Chairman. I'm going to talk for
call Denis O'Rourke. Thank you, Mr
about the Estimates, because that is what this debate is supposed to
be about, as opposed to
the diatribe of drivel we just heard from the
minister.
drivel we just heard from the minister. I want to particularly
talk about transport,
minister. I want to particularly talk about transport, and begin with
Christchurch where
talk about transport, and begin with Christchurch where I live,
because all we're seeing in Christchurch
is some old projects being completed to
connect
some old projects being completed to connect the novshen Motorway
Northern Motorway with Cranford Street and connect the Southern
bypass, and there will be some work on the motorway,
but that's all we're seeing in Christchurch,
and those are very old
projects which we're
those are very old projects which have been there for
decades and are only now actually being completed.
What
only now actually being completed. What we're not seeing
in Christchurch is any
work on passenger rail. The lines
are already there, the need is
there between Rollaston
between Rollaston and Christchurch in the
between Rollaston and Christchurch in the south, and between Rangiora
and Christchurch, and
in the south, and between Rangiora and Christchurch, and there is no
action on that
and Christchurch, and there is no action on that being taken at all,
there is a desperate need tore infrastructure to support
passenger rail
rail in Christchurch. Provision in the
rail in Christchurch. Provision in
that's the record of the National Government there. In Auckland,
it's even worse. Aucklanders
are being absolute shafted. What we see is
a
years 2018 and '28, and the Government has said that the
available
Government has said that the available funds are
something that, well, will have to be found
by Aucklanders, by
Aucklanders, by the Auckland Council, because the Government
itself has absolutely no plans in these estimates or elsewhere
to fill that gap. And yet, at the same
time, the Government will not allow the
Auckland Council
the Government will not allow the Auckland Council to impose
a regional fuel tax. So
it says to Auckland,
regional fuel tax. So it says to
we're not going to give you any ability
we're not going to give you any
that, there is no action to be taken on implementing a road pricing
regime for Auckland, because that
ultimately is
regime for Auckland, because that ultimately is going to
not only to raise funds, but as an essential demand management
tool. Looking at some other things
about Auckland, the Government has
talked
that's far too little, far too late. There should have been
a much greater provision
greater provision by central government for that rail
link in Auckland. It should have been
probably
Auckland. It should have been
relieve Auckland ratepayers of that burden, because that rail link is
needed
burden, because that rail link is needed to relieve
congestion on Auckland's infrastructure as
a whole. In addition to that, the
Government will spend
whole. In addition to that, the Government will spend at
whole. In addition to that, the
in Auckland, which has a very, very poor BCR
in Auckland, which has a very, very
of Transport won't even release it, and won't see it updated because
he's
and won't see it updated because he's actually ashamed of it, and
that
he's actually ashamed of it, and that is a dog, that project. It
should
that is a dog, that project. It should not be proceeding at
all, and in fact the whole of the National
Government's RONS project approach
to transport is
Government's RONS project approach to transport is itself a dog. It
represents what
to transport is itself a dog. It represents what is essentially a
1960's transport strategy.
represents what is essentially a 1960's transport strategy. Much
better
1960's transport strategy. Much better alternatives are available,
especially
better alternatives are available, especially in reinvestment
and rail, which New Zealand First has as its
number one priority. That would include a heavy rail link
to Auckland International Airport,
along
Auckland International Airport, along Puanui Road, to
the railway system. It would also
allow a fully developed
developed passenger rail system from the south, from Hamilton, as well as
from
the south, from Hamilton, as well as from Auckland City itself. There are
many other ways in which
from Auckland City itself. There are many other ways in which the money
could be better spent than this Government is going to do. A tunnel
for
Government is going to do. A tunnel for the Manuatu Gorge would
be a much better expenditure
of taxpayers' money
taxpayers' money than billions spent, for example, on
the Waterview connection. That tunnel. And there
are other opportunities for rail
that
are other opportunities for rail that are so many,
that I wouldn't know where to begin. But to put
it this way
know where to begin. But to put it
two years, when billions upon billions are being spent, relatively
uselessly,
billions are being spent, relatively uselessly, on major roading
projects shows that this Government has got
its priorities
shows that this Government has got its priorities utterly and
completely wrong. These are not estimates which
estimates which this party, New Zealand First,
Zealand First, can support.
Michael Wood. I'm very happy to stand and speak on the
Appropriations
Bill and to reaffirm the Labour Party's opposition to
this particular vote and I wonder when
my comments focus on
in the expenditures proposed in the
area of transport. The first thing I want
to do, actually, is pay tribute
to Minister
Minister Joyce for his speech before, and