1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Now, today's Infrastructure Commission report was not the best news 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: for motorists. The report recommends cutting our annual spend on 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: roading from one point three percent of GDP down to 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,399 Speaker 1: one percent for the next thirty years. And another idea 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 1: was a nine dollars each way toll on the Auckland 6 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: Harbor Bridge to pay for a second crossing, which would 7 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:18,799 Speaker 1: presumably be told as well. Justin Tay Umbers is the 8 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:23,639 Speaker 1: CEO of the National Road Carriers Association and with US Now, Hi, Justin, Hello, Heather, 9 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: how do you feel about a cut in the spending 10 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:26,240 Speaker 1: on roads? 11 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 2: Look, I think what the Infrastructure Comission's trying to do 12 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 2: is clearly we've got a long laundry list of some 13 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 2: expensive infrastructure, and I think they're signaling its time for 14 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: an adult conversation in terms of what we prepared to 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 2: pay for. But I think it's not just about what 16 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 2: the cost is in relationship to GDP. I think you 17 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:49,320 Speaker 2: also still have to look at what particular investments unlock. 18 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: So what would a second harbor bridge unlock? What would 19 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 2: a Northern expressway up to fung Array, for example, what 20 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: would that unlock? So you've got to look at the 21 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 2: what not just the economy, but also to lifestyles of 22 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: New Zealanders as well as part of the equation. 23 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,200 Speaker 1: So okay, it talk me through what would actually effectively 24 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: be a third harbor cross and what would that unlock. 25 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, well that's a very good question. So at the moment, 26 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 2: we certainly need it for resilience, that's the main driver. 27 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 2: So obviously, if our current aging nineteen sixties bridge has 28 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: a moment, we don't want to be left without that 29 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 2: crossing there because that would be a massive hit to 30 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: the economy. So firstly, it's about addressing resilience. It all 31 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,240 Speaker 2: depends on where they put it where the second harbor 32 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: crossing is. If it's just another bridge right next to 33 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: the existing one, then beyond resilience, it's probably not going 34 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 2: to unlock much because it won't deal to congestion, So 35 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 2: we'd like to see it in another location up the harbor. 36 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: We also get benefits of congestion reduction and more throughput 37 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: going through the whole motorway network. So again it comes 38 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 2: back to smart planning as to what benefit that's going 39 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: to deliver. 40 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: How would you feel about a nine dollar toll? 41 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, but I had a collective 42 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 2: inhale of breath over on the North Shore when that 43 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: number was floated. 44 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: Today, look what about the principal justin of paying for 45 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: something that we have already paid for in order to 46 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 1: pay for something else. 47 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's that's a very good question. So look, I 48 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 2: think it's about the reality is we have to pay 49 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 2: for infrastructure. We've got to fine creative ways to do it. 50 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 2: Nine dollars that number seems to have come from. I 51 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: think they took the nineteen eighty four number and then 52 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: and then added in flashing through to today. I actually 53 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 2: remember being in the back seat of my father's Ford 54 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 2: Falcon throwing the twenty cent piece in the hopper at 55 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 2: the toll boots, but I don't remember Dad getting really 56 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 2: angry about how much it costs. A Nine dollars still 57 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 2: seems quite a lot, But I think I think in reality, 58 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: you know, you've got to land that sweet spot in 59 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: a number that pays for the asset that you're building, 60 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 2: but also doesn't drive distortions into the economy because these 61 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 2: things can affect land prices, where people want to buy, 62 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: where they want to work, So you've got to be 63 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: really careful. 64 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, do we I feel like what this 65 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: is doing is it's seeding an idea. So I don't 66 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: expect to see much actually come out of this, but 67 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: it will seed some ideas that we will get used 68 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: to and then eventually will become their reality. And will 69 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: the reality not actually be in the future that every 70 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 1: single new piece of infrastructure that we drive on we 71 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,399 Speaker 1: pay for in atoll. 72 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 2: Yes, I think certainly for the bigger state highway, big 73 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: ticket items. That's where we're heading and what we want 74 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: from national road carriers is it's really important that the 75 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: new infrastructure adds to productivity. So poohoy to walk with 76 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: it's cut down fifteen minutes. Road freight operators absolutely love 77 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: it because fifteen minutes doesn't sound like much, but that 78 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 2: translates into between that and the extension down towards Cambridge, 79 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: that's nearly a billion dollars worth of improvement to the economy. 80 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: So we're happy to pay for infrastructure that's going to 81 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 2: deliver those productivity whins, make journey times shorter, get goods 82 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 2: out there through the economy more efficiently, and we recognize 83 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 2: that we're going to have to pay, but you've got 84 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 2: to pay at a reasonable amount that's not just going 85 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 2: to add up to another increasing cost of goods because 86 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 2: you and I end up paying for that at the shop. 87 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: Transport operators don't pay for it, they pass it through 88 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 2: to their customers, and you and I pay for it 89 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 2: every time we go shopping and. 90 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: Such as life. Justin, thanks very much, appreciate it. Justin 91 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: tai Amba's chief executive of the National Road Carriers Association. 92 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 2: For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 93 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 2: news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 94 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio.