Revelations this week Cabinet will decide on a ‘delivery partner’ not a ‘specific solution’ in the near year for the Government’s troubled Auckland light rail project shows staggering Government incompetence, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Transport Minister Phil Twyford has another KiwiBuild on his hands. This was a flagship promise from the Labour Government, the Prime Minister said light rail would be built to Mt Roskill by 2021.

“Now we find at the end of 2019, Cabinet won’t even decide on a particularly proposal until early 2020. Instead, Cabinet will pick a ‘partner’, between NZTA and NZ Infra bid by NZ Super Fund, with the details to be sorted out later.

“Matt Lowrie from Greater Auckland is completely right when he says, ‘you don’t go to Fletchers’ and say ‘we want you to build us a road’ and Fletchers go ‘okay where do you want us to build it?’ and [then] go ‘I don’t know we’ll work that out later’.’

“In Parliament today the only thing Phil Twyford was able to say about light rail was that it would be rail on two tracks and it would be in Auckland.

“This is a staggering display of ineptitude by the Government. Two years into its time in Government, there is no exact route, no delivery model, no design work done, no costings, no consents, no designations, no business case – nothing.

“Light rail is a metaphor for this Government – it’s going nowhere.”

National is proposing to improve public transport by overhauling governance in Wellington and Canterbury, providing greater support for ride-sharing, and accelerating the rollout of integrated ticketing, Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“The great modern cities of the world all have multi-modal transport systems where public transport, walking, cycling, and increasingly scootering are valued parts of everyday life.”

“National has a strong record on public transport. We spent $2 billion from 2008 to 2017, helping lift public transport use to record highs. We also invested more than $2.5 billion to electrify the Auckland and Wellington rail networks, and get the City Rail Link underway.

“We believe public transport governance is too fragmented in this country, with opaque accountability and no clear delineation of which agency is responsible for each part of the network. This is diluting the quality of service for commuters.

“The new Wellington bus network has been a disaster with the regional council, city council and NZTA all blaming each other for the fiasco rather than doing something about it.

“National is proposing new regional transport authorities in Wellington and Canterbury that will have sole-charge over public transport, as well as cycling, parking and roading.

“Ride-sharing, particularly carpooling, has a role to play in decongesting cities and solving the first mile/last mile problem of how best to get people to and from bus and rail stops.

“We will encourage public transport authorities to partner with ride-sharing companies to better connect people with public transport in an efficient and affordable way.

“It is unacceptable that people have been using bank cards and phones to pay for London’s Tube since 2004 but train users in Wellington still pay with coins and cardboard tickets. National is proposing to accelerate the rollout of integrated ticketing nationwide.”

Our Discussion Documents can be found HERE

National will remedy Labour’s neglect of New Zealand’s highways by reigniting our Roads of National Significance build programme and introducing a new category of funding for Roads of Regional Significance, Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“National is the Party that builds roads. The previous Government spent $12 billion on the first seven Roads of National Significance (RONS) – transformational projects that connected our regions and unlocked the potential of our cities, towns and provinces.

“Thousands of Kiwis now enjoy safer, faster journeys on the Tauranga Eastern Link, the Waikato and Kāpiti expressways, Christchurch’s new motorways, and through Auckland’s Waterview Tunnel because of National’s record investment.

“But there’s more to be done. National will go bigger and bolder than Labour when it comes to investment in our highways because we know Kiwis are sick of daily gridlock and the rising road toll.

“We’re proposing to complete the original Roads of National Significance and begin a second generation programme.

“More detail will be released in 2020 about which projects we will commit to, but we’re interested in feedback on upgrading the following routes to four-lane expressway standard:

• Whangārei to Warkworth
• East West Link in Auckland
• Cambridge to Tirau
• Piarere to the foot of the Kaimai Ranges
• Tauranga to Katikati, including the Tauranga Northern Link
• Napier to Hastings
• Levin to Sanson
• Manawatū Gorge
• Christchurch to Ashburton
• Christchurch Northern Motorway: Belfast to Pegasus

“Councils sometimes struggle to upgrade local roads under current funding rules. To fix this National is proposing a new funding priority called Roads of Regional Significance (RORS) that will increase the Government contribution towards these vital improvements.

“Road safety is a top priority for National and we’re proposing a comprehensive rollout of median barriers, side barriers, shoulder widening, and rumble strips to upgrade roads and fix dangerous intersections.

National is also proposing to improve our road network by:

• Introducing legislation to implement roadside drug testing
• Decreasing the use of random speed cameras and increasing signposted cameras
• Placing a serious focus on improving safety at level rail crossings

“It is also critical that we deal with congestion in our major cities, which is why National is proposing to introduce revenue-neutral congestion pricing to help unclog their streets.

“Congestion pricing will be a game-changer by encouraging commuters to either travel earlier or later in the day, take a different route, or use public transport.

“National has long had an ambitious programme of transport investment and we are committed to getting New Zealand moving again if elected in 2020.”

Our Discussion Documents can be found HERE

National is proposing a new law to keep cyclists safe by making the use of separated cycleways mandatory, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Motorists get frustrated when cyclists continue to use roads and motorways in places where a dedicated, separated cycle path runs parallel to the road.

“There are now hundreds of kilometres of protected cycle paths across New Zealand. Many of these are high-quality, safe and designed to be used by cyclists.

“National proposes that in areas where separated cycleways exist, cyclists must use them or else they will receive a fine.

“Similar rules exist in the cycle-friendly Netherlands, where using a physically separated bike path, or fietspad, is compulsory in most cases.

“By making sure cyclists stay in their lane it will keep them safe and go a long way towards improving the public acceptance of cycling by reducing conflict with motorists.

“National is proud of its investment in cycling infrastructure across New Zealand, including

Ngā Haerenga: The National Cycle Trail and the $100 million urban cycleways fund.

“Cycling is becoming more popular as it becomes easier and people look for a healthy way to get from A to B. A National Government will invest in cycling infrastructure across New Zealand to encourage its uptake.

“National will release a more comprehensive discussion document on transport, including public transport, on Monday.”

The Provincial Growth Fund has only managed to create just over 600 jobs with taxpayers forking out almost $500,000 per job, proving the policy is nothing more than another example of wasteful spending by this Government, National’s Regional Development spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has paid out $297.5 million so far and it has created only 616 full time jobs. That works out to be $482,000 per full time jobs.

“Most New Zealanders would be shocked to hear their hard earned taxpayer money is being sprayed around by a Minister who is just spending cash without making sure business cases stack up.

“Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has publicly stated the main point of the PGF is to create jobs, but he’s only created 616. Shane Jones’ previous response to questions on job creation has been a shrug and vague promises about jobs materialising down the track.

“Well we’re two years in, when will these jobs in the regions materialise Shane?

“To make matters worse, the number of bureaucrats at the Provincial Development Unit has more than doubled in the last year. There were 53 in October last year, now 116, and 70 per cent of those employees are on salaries of $100,000 or more.

“The PGF is a giant waste of money. It’s a great time to be a bureaucrat in Wellington. But if you’re in the regions, where jobs are needed, you’re out of luck.

“From a Government that has become well-known for wasteful spending, this takes things to another level.

“We want our regions to prosper because what’s good for our communities is good for New Zealand’s economic well-being. Jobs aren’t created by political slush funds, but by the private sector responding to sound economic policies.”

The Government is squarely to blame for Kiwis being fleeced at the petrol pump, having milked half a billion dollars out of motorists in just two years through its fuel tax hikes, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“New Zealanders are being ripped off at the petrol pump and it’s the Government who is picking their pockets through all the fuel tax hikes it has introduced these past two years.

“The extra revenue it has collected from increased fuel excise, road user charges and the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax has already hit $565 million – that’s $319 per household.

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is the Fleecer-in-Chief. Her Government’s tax grab will hit $1.7 billion once further tax hikes – already passed into law – take effect down the line.

“This stings because motorists are getting nothing in return. The Government cancelled a dozen major roading projects that were ready to go under National and hasn’t started any major new transport infrastructure since it took office.

“In Parliament yesterday, the Prime Minister listed the transport projects it had started, which amounted to a few road repairs, one new passing lane and a roundabout.

“Kiwis don’t need more reports from the Commerce Commission to tell them what they already know; that keeping the car running on their summer road trips this year is going to cost more than it should.

“We welcome suggestions to improve competition in the fuel market. But unlike petrol, talk is cheap and the Government is a big part of the reason why petrol prices are so high.

“If elected in 2020, National will repeal the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax and we won’t increase fuel taxes in our first term.”

*Based on expected tax revenue for 2019-20

Julie Anne Genter’s signature car tax isn’t winning the public over, with 69 per cent of submissions opposed to her proposal, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“The Associate Transport Minister has trumpeted that her car tax proposal is ‘winning favour with submitters’ but the facts don’t bear that out.

“Figures supplied by her office reveal most Kiwis rejected Labour’s car tax during public consultation, with 1860 of 2687 submissions opposed to it.

“This isn’t a surprise to National. We’ve said from the start that it’s not fair to make families pay thousands more for a used seven-seater van while wealthy executives get discounts on a Tesla Model 3.

“Treasury also warned the Minister that her car tax would unfairly punish New Zealanders for whom low-emission vehicles don’t exist to suit their jobs or lifestyle – all for a 0.09 per cent reduction in emissions over 20 years.

“The Minister has also revealed that announcements on whether or not the car tax will proceed won’t be made until 2020 now. Perhaps she’s finally realising that it’s bad policy.

“The fact remains that after more than two years in Government, and many more years of talking while in Opposition, Julie Anne Genter has not changed a single policy setting relating to electric vehicles from the previous Government.

“National will continue to oppose Labour’s car tax. We believe financial incentives, not penalties, are the best way to support this country’s shift to electric vehicles.”

The National Party is today launching a petition calling on the Government to reverse its decision to cancel the four-lane expressway between Ōtaki and Levin, National’s Transport spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Labour cannot be trusted on transport. Minister Phil Twyford barely had his feet under the desk in his Beehive office before he scrapped the four-lane Horowhenua expressway.

“Twyford’s decision is a gut-punch to the local people who are crying out for this project, as well as the thousands of Kiwis who want a safe and efficient State Highway 1.

“The safety record between Ōtaki and Levin is unacceptable, which is why the former National Government included a new four-lane highway as a Road of National Significance.

“Twyford cancelled this plan after raiding $5 billion from the state highway budget – topped up by motorists’ fuel taxes – to pay for his light rail pet projects in Auckland and Wellington.

“Labour has whittled the Horowhenua expressway back to a two-lane road and won’t even consider funding its construction for another ten years, if at all.

“Horowhenua can’t afford to spend another decade in limbo. That’s why Ōtaki candidate Tim Costley and I are calling on the public to help us change the Government’s mind.

“National will deliver the world-class infrastructure Kiwis deserve for all the tax they’re paying, instead of the broken promises and uncertainty they get from this Government.

“Regional New Zealand deserves more respect than it is getting from Phil ‘two-lane’ Twyford, who openly believes we’ve overinvested in roads and motorways in this country.

“If elected in 2020, National will get on with building the infrastructure Labour is neglecting.”

National’s petition can be found here

Shane Jones’ inability to pinpoint when he first learned that a forestry company with links to NZ First was applying to the Provincial Growth Fund casts even more shadow over his involvement in the bid, National’s Regional Development spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“All the evidence suggests Shane Jones was aware of NZ Future Forest Products Limited’s bid for $15 million of PGF funding long before he recused himself from the decision-making process.

“He was given umpteen chances to be upfront and honest in Parliament today, but instead chose to repeatedly dodge questions.

“Yesterday he told Parliament ‘I have known about Mr David Henry and Brian Henry's wood processing ambitions for several years’, but today he attempted to play down his knowledge of David Henry and NZ Future Forest Products.

“Shane Jones says the application was lodged on April 8 and he recused himself on October 14, once ‘formally’ notified of the funding application going to ministers. But this doesn’t answer when he first learned of the application’s existence.

“National has learned that NZ Future Forest Products Limited emailed Shane Jones about forestry matters on September 21 – an email Jones conveniently says he has no recollection of – suggesting he was more in the loop than he is letting on.

“NZFFP’s application raises a lot of eyebrows. It was made in March 2019 soon after the company was registered, with Winston Peters’ personal lawyer Brian Henry appointed as a director. Mr Peters’ partner Jan Trotman was then appointed in August, one month before the company emailed Mr Jones’ office about the application.

“Mr Jones has an appalling track record of inappropriate behaviour, conflicts of interest and lack of accountability – traits that have become a stain on the Provincial Growth Fund.

“The PGF was Labour’s reward to NZ First for supporting the coalition. The result is a slush fund that lacks transparency and is being treated as NZ First’s campaign chest for 2020.”

Today’s extraordinary performance by David Parker and Jacinda Ardern in Parliament raises even more questions about NZ First’s links to a shady Provincial Growth Fund application, National’s Regional Development spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“Yesterday in Question Time, Winston Peters talked about ‘both’ ministers declaring a conflict of interest in Future Forest Product Limited’s bid for $15 million of PGF funding.

“We know Shane Jones was one of them, but who was the other minister and why is the Prime Minister and the Associate Minister of Finance not providing straight answers?

“The Prime Minister was asked directly today ‘were there other ministers or under-secretaries who declared a conflict of interest in the matter being discussed?’ and she utterly failed to answer the question.

“Multiple questions still hang over the Future Forest Products Limited application. While Shane Jones declared a conflict in October after returning from holiday, why did it take him so long to do this when the application began in March?

“When was Mr Jones first aware of the application? What involvement did he have in the application while it was before the Provincial Development Unit?

“The Provincial Growth Fund is $3 billion worth of taxpayers’ money, so it’s right for questions to be asked about the probity of the process, and right for the Prime Minister and her Government to give the public some direct answers.”