Nikki Kaye
MP for Auckland Central
21 August 2011

Good afternoon.

It is a pleasure to be here at the launch of the designs for the Auckland Harbour Bridge walking and cycling Pathway.

I want to start by acknowledging our Mayor of Auckland Len Brown. I want to acknowledge local board members and councillors, Alex Swney from Heart of the city and all of those involved in the Get across campaign and the Pathway steering and advisory group.

A Long Journey of perseverance

I do want to single a couple of people out today for their perseverance and work on this project.  Andy Smith and Bevan Woodward.

When I first met Bevan I was pretty overwhelmed by his enthusiasm and dogged determination. I want to thank you for both of your courage and perseverance to keep at it for 7 years to get the project to this point. You have worked hard and really persevered. You have worked through many of the technical issues raised with NZTA and the Pathway steering and advisory group.

You have also attracted private sector involvement so that we are able to say to Aucklanders that in a pretty tough fiscal environment this project could stack up economically.  Thank you Bevan and Andy for your work on this.

Today is significant for a couple of other reasons.

Unlocking our city

Today is significant in that this project represents another part of Aucklands transformation. From Britomart to Wynyard Quarter projects are now being delivered that have at their heart Aucklanders enjoyment.  Both these parts of Auckland are significant for both their public and private sector investment.

These projects are about unlocking public space for the enjoyment of all Aucklanders. We are seeing our city becoming a place where we can walk, cycle and even catch a tram.

I want to thank the Mayor for his leadership in helping to progress this. I think we should also acknowledge that NZTA have also progressed a number of cycleways across Auckland. Thank you to Cycle Action Auckland for your part in helping us deliver this.

In delivering this project we could provide a key connection between the centre of Auckland and the North Shore. We will be saying to people on both sides of the bridge that you don’t have to drive you can get across and cycle and walk to work.

Iconic Tourism project

This project is very significant in that it is also very iconic. This project is about saying to the world that we too have a bridge that we are proud of and that people can come from around the world to visit.

Over 80 percent of tourists visiting San Francisco walk the Golden Gate bridge. I believe this project provides another reason to visit our city.  It also sends a strong statement about our increasing value on cyclists and walkers in our city. As the MP who represents a large part of the Hauraki Gulf.

I feel we have one of the most beautiful harbours in the world and I want more Aucklanders to be able to see it. This project could enable Aucklanders to be able to walk across the bridge and look out across our city to Devonport, Wynyard Quarter and out to the many islands of the Gulf such as Waiheke and Rangitoto which will be a wonderful experience.

Next steps

I know there is a bit more testing and modelling to be done but today is about Aucklanders having the opportunity to have their say. My message to Aucklanders is this project is iconic, has overcome many technical issues, it could stack up economically and I believe it would be of huge benefit to Aucklanders.

In a tough fiscal environment we have to be more innovative as to how we fund infrastructure. The harbour bridge used to be tolled. This project advocates for a small charge to walkers and cyclists and estimates that over a 15 year period the basic infrastructure could be paid for. The groups plans are to then return the pathway to the city.

Some people have said this should not happen because they don’t believe in a charge for cyclist and walkers. I am pretty pragmatic and believe that if all technical issues are resolved and cyclists and walkers want this to happen then why wouldn’t we do it.

I support this project being progressed. Please get behind this project so that we can all get one step closer to walking and cycling across our bridge.

In many areas we have had to redress the degradation. In the area of deforestation, New Zealand lost 30,000 hectares under Labour’s years in office. We turned this around in 2009 and 2010. In the area of renewable energy, there was more generation from coal, oil, and gas under the last Labour Government than in any time in our history. Under this National Government, more than 32,000 gigawatt hours of electricity was produced from renewable sources in 2010.

Ruth Dyson mentioned the emissions trading scheme. The irony of Labour members mentioning the emissions trading scheme is that under Labour’s watch, emissions significantly increased. The other massive irony of Labour members mentioning the emissions trading scheme is that they constantly talk about our most disadvantaged. There is such hypocrisy in that, because the emissions trading scheme that Labour would have passed would have doubled the cost to low-income families.

Hon Steve Chadwick: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The member opposite used the word “hypocrisy” relating to some Labour policy. I take offence at that remark.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, it is out of order to use that word. I ask the member to withdraw that comment.

NIKKI KAYE: I withdraw and apologise. This legislation is about creating a national, independent environmental regulator. This legislation will finally provide a one-stop shop for the environmental regulatory functions of consenting, monitoring, and providing technical advice. This legislation is about providing a much more professional framework for how we manage our environment in New Zealand. That is sending a very clear message that we value our environment.

In the area of the economy, for a very long time we have had a professional framework with a very clear split, with Treasury as a policy adviser, the Reserve Bank having the regulatory functions, and the Auditor-General as the auditor. By ensuring that the Ministry for the Environment can be a policy adviser, the Environmental Protection Authority a regulator, and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment an auditor, we are showing that we really value our environment.

We on this side of the House understand that our environment and our economy are inextricably linked. Despite the history of Labour—its degradation and trashing of the environment, and the “greenwash” that comes from that side of the House—we have done many things under this Government to show how much we value our environment.

The benefit of this legislation is also in the area of efficiency. We will be bringing together regulations across Government agencies, including the Ministry of Economic Development, the Environmental Risk Management Authority, and the Ministry for the Environment, all under one roof. The merging of these technical and regulatory skills will severely reduce inefficiency and will lead to much more robust and informed decision-making.

There are benefits in the area of national consenting, as well. The Opposition constantly raises issues of certain consents, but one area where the Environmental Protection Authority will really help is the area of renewable energy. We know this, because an application is currently before the Environmental Protection Authority for Contact Energy’s $1 billion Tauhara geothermal station near Taupō.

I acknowledge the support of certain environmental groups for this legislation. There is a very good quote from Gary Taylor from the Environmental Defence Society. He stated: “The EPA is to become the national environmental regulator and it’s vital that it is free from political influence.” We are pleased to see the continuing evolution of the Environmental Protection Authority as a national, independent environmental regulator.

Finally, I will touch on the issue of political neutrality that has been raised by many Opposition members, and I just remind members what is in the legislation regarding this issue. The Environmental Protection Authority is an independent Crown entity. It will be free from political influence, and that is really important. It is really important that we finally have a much more professional framework for our environmental issues, because this country values our environment too much to allow what happened in the “noughties”—as I refer to them—under the last Labour Government to happen again. That is why this legislation is part of a significant amount of reform that our Government has done to ensure that we can properly get good information about what is happening in our environment and properly manage things like our consents, in order to ensure that big renewable energy projects are happening.

This legislation is important not just for current New Zealanders but also for the future New Zealanders who will come after us. This legislation is part of our Bluegreen approach that will enable environmental issues to be considered in a much more professional, independent, accountable, and transparent way. In passing this legislation, we are sending a clear message to New Zealanders that this Government highly values our environment.

Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Associate Minister for Infrastructure) on behalf of the Minister for Infrastructure: The Government is directly spending billions of dollars each year on improving infrastructure, and, with it, supporting thousands of jobs across the country. The latest example is the awarding, last week, of the $150 million contract for construction of the Ngāruawāhia section of the Waikato Expressway. Engineering works are expected to begin on site in September—about 3 years earlier than expected when a previous Government was involved. Construction of the Ngāruawāhia section will create up to 300 local jobs and, when completed, the Te Rapa and Ngāruawāhia sections together will provide a 20-kilometre long new northern entrance for the city of Hamilton.

David Bennett: How is the Waikato Expressway helping the regional economy?

Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Construction is already underway on the 7.5 kilometre Te Rapa link where 200 people currently are directly employed. In addition, there have already been over 1,100 contractors working on the project with tasks ranging from design and planning to construction and engineering. Once completed, the long-term economic benefits of the Waikato Expressway will be hugely important. It will bring the major cities of Auckland and Hamilton much closer together. The Government is committed to lifting productivity, creating jobs, and helping to get our goods to market more quickly.

Nikki Kaye: How does this fit into the Government’s wider improvements for infrastructure?

Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Work to unclog the arteries of our State highway network is just one aspect of the Government’s infrastructure investment. We are investing $7.5 billion in public amenities such as schools, State houses, hospitals, prisons, and ultra-fast broadband over 5 years. In addition, we are supporting KiwiRail through the $4.6 billion KiwiRail Turnaround Plan, and we have allocated $1.6 billion to metro rail improvements in Auckland and around $700 million to metro rail improvements in Wellington. Another important transport infrastructure investment was launched as late as yesterday, with the HOP card, an integrated ticket launched with the Associate Minister for Infrastructure’s help by Auckland Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency. Integrated ticketing is great for consumers and will enable users to have faster and more convenient access to all public transport services.

6. NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What support is the Government giving to non-governmental organisations in Christchurch affected by the earthquake?

Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) : A lot of hard work has gone in very quickly. Funding coordination and facilities have been provided. On the Friday directly after the earthquake the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, and I had a conference call with 17 major non-governmental organisations to work through what support is needed and how we can help. To help we have also hired the Christchurch netball clubrooms at Hagley Park for non-governmental organisations to use as needed.

Katrina Shanks: What other Government support has been available in Christchurch?

Hon PAULA BENNETT: We have used the Community Response Fund underspend to ensure continuity of payment for those non-governmental organisations that need it; we did that really quickly. A key focus has also been trauma counselling. We have 262 counsellors on the ground and others around the country. We will also have a number of counsellors and welfare volunteers at the memorial service tomorrow—350 in total. And, of course, the Student Volunteer Army has been out in great force. We were able to provide them with $20,000 worth of funding.

Hon Annette King: Will she oppose the recommendation from the Hon Tariana Turia to cut funding for Te Rito Family Violence Prevention Strategy and from the Child Advocacy Group’s budget, in light of the report from the Minister of Women’s Affairs of increased family violence after the earthquake?

Hon PAULA BENNETT: Budget bids are yet to be assessed by Cabinet. They will be made in due course.

We have also seen some extraordinary leadership come through. The Student Volunteer Army has captured the respect of the nation. I think those students have also captured the pride of the nation. One of the things about this crisis is that sometimes it takes an extraordinary crisis to change the values of a nation. That is one of the positive things that could come from this.

Everybody has a story. A lady walked into my office recently who had not known that her husband was travelling to Christchurch on the day of the earthquake. He was actually working in the Pyne Gould building. Fortunately for her—and for him—he had popped out for a coffee. So that day he lived, but he was one of the lucky ones. Her story is not unique; many people around New Zealand are sharing those stories, and I think that is a really important part of the process.

Finally, I pay tribute to the New Zealand armed forces. I had the opportunity, with our Minister of Defence, to be on board HMNZS Canterbury and to see the extraordinary support that our New Zealand armed forces were giving to the people of Canterbury. It really made me reflect, as I hope many other members of Parliament will do, on the huge contribution that our armed forces are making in Canterbury at this time.

I am very pleased to support the Canterbury Earthquake Commemoration Day Bill. I acknowledge that even though there has been an extraordinary tragedy, so many New Zealanders around the country are stepping up in every possible way, and that is making a huge difference to the lives of so many New Zealanders, particularly the people of Canterbury.