make the investment that is a priority, and we did things like
cancel tax cuts so we could
reinvest in health, education
and housing. Question no. 2, the Hon
Simon Bridges. My question is to the PM.
Does
Does she stand by all her Government's policies
Mr
Mr Speaker, yes, including the priorities we're placing in
investing back in core
services so we
investing back in core services so in
investing back in core services so we don't have
situations like Middlemore.
Middlemore. A point of
Middlemore. A point of order, the Hon Brownlee.
Mr Speaker, you were very fast
last week to prevent people from adding
little bits to the answer
to a question. A little bit
of consistency would be something that
would be helpful to the order of the
House. I will ask the PM, is
she really going to answer
the order in the House or will she cause a
way you're going to rule, Mr Speaker.
way you're going to rule, Mr
What I am going to ask is the Hon Gerry Brownlee to be just a little
bit more tolerant. That was a short
answer, with a very mild flick to
an Opposition question, not a
Government patsy, and, therefore,
I think it was well within the bounds
of what all my predecessors
would have accepted.
of what all my predecessors would have accepted. Supplementary
question. How will someone
working in South Auckland benefit from the
25 cents per litre petrol tax for
reference to the government policy statement for transport
which we're consulting on whether or not
the investment we want to make off
the back of three
investment we want to make off the
cents a year, something which I understand the Opposition has
said that they would maintain. I'm
happy to speak
I'm happy to speak to how they would benefit because under this
government they'll likely to
be a family that on average will get
extra per week once our Working For Family changes come in in July. she
agree the majority of
25 cents a litre tax increase over the
next decade will go to the... Oh,
Mr Speaker, as I have said in this
speak previously, the kind of
example that that Minister is using,
is a family who currently
doesn't have choices around how they move
around their city. We need to give
them choices, and we also need to
invest in that household as well.
They need higher incomes, better
wages, and they need
decent transport. Under this opposition,
apparently, they would
keep that same excise that we're planning. Mr
Speaker, point of order. Mr Speaker,
I asked a very clear question about
whether the majority of that
tax would go to the tram to Auckland
airport. She didn't
even address that. No, no, she certainly referred
to giving Aucklanders...
..giving Aucklanders choices as to their
methods of moving round Auckland.
I think that's close enough. So will
the majority of that petrol tax over
the next decade go to the
tram to
transfer from road into public transport,
transport, in particular, trams under that
transport, in particular, trams
pointed out in this House, we are increasing the amount of fund that
is going to regional transport,
and also local transport, and
also also
also local transport, and also transport safety. That's
because that's what
that's what we've prioritised, while at the same time having only
decrease in state highway improvements. How can she
possibly say that when her Transport
Minister, just last week in
this House, accepted that
Minister, just last week in this
being reduced from state highway
are also putting more back into regional and local roads,
and would...
regional and local roads, and
And would the member... ..would the member like me to
reiterate the cuts that that last Government
made to those
that that last Government made to member
that that last Government made to
Order! The PM, I think, knows that she shouldn't be asking
questions of the Opposition. Simon Bridges.
What... Order! What use is the tram
to the airport to someone living and
working nowhere near it in
Mr Speaker, taking a very narrow view at what is a comprehensive
plan to improve public
transport across the Auckland network, and, as I say,
that is only part of what the GPS
was about. It was
also about making sure that we were increasing
regional and local road
improvements to
regional and local road improvements
Rail Link be paid for, does she
is talking about the City Rail Link which he was very late coming to
the party to support.
We continue to support it, and did from
the very beginning. Point of order, Mr
Speaker I asked how it would
be paid for. Well, I will ask the PM to have
another shot at that. Oh,
Mr Speaker... How will it
another shot at that. Oh, Mr
Oh, Mr Speaker, I imagine the same way that the last Government
pretended that they were going
to pay for it as well.
Question no. ...
No! A point of order, the Hon Simon Bridges. No, I have got further
supplementaries. The
supplementaries. The Hon Phil Twyford. Does the PM believe that in
investigating in a modern,
rapid transport system gives people
transport choices enabling
some people to leave their car at
home during peak hour, thereby,
allowing the roads to move more freely
for
absolutely. That is our aspiration. Some will continue to choose
to move by car. But, currently, they are
losing in productivity because of
the excessive congestion in Auckland. We need
more transport options and that's what this
Government is focused on, whilst
always dealing with the regional
neglect of the last Government. How
will someone in the north shore,
and West Auckland be able to leave their
car at home when they're
definitely not getting any mass
rapid transit any time in the
Speaker, we do have plan toss extend the mass rapid transport network...
Order! I am going to ask members of the Opposition just to settle down.
I had some hopes that with a
bit of a reshuffle that there'd be
a little bit less noise from my immediate
left. Unfortunately, that
hasn't quite worked. May I finish
the question,
quite worked. May I finish the
question, what the Minister seems to be forgetting is that in pointing
out the lack of transport options,
this is a government
that has been in government for five months. That
last government neglected
transport options for nine years. What is the
government's position on
options for nine years. What is the government's position on the
Auckland
government's position on the
are still consulting on the route option and consulting
with the property. Does she accept
option and consulting with the
billion will come out of the State Highway Improvement class on
her
said last week in the House, state highway funding reducings
said last week in the House, state
and regional and rural roads include by
and regional and rural roads include
statements include building 10 bridges which were promised by a
certain gentleman, none of which
have ever been start Thank you for
question. My understanding is
that question.
question. My understanding is that may have been one of
the Oral Questions that
Questions that the Leader of the Opposition
Opposition has to correct in this House, for the very reason
that they haven't been delivered. Will she
commit to the Road of National
significance from
significance from Otadi happening given its previous status. As we've
said, everything happening with that
going through the same process. Mr Speaker, that is a decision
for the board, as it was three weeks
ago before we announced this policy.
Question no. 3, the Hon Amy
Adams. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
My
My question is to the Minister of
core Crown net debt to 20 percent of GDP by 30
core Crown net debt to 20 percent of
Mr
Mr Speaker, this Government is committed to reducing to
core Crown net debt to