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The Ministry of Transport seeks to collaborate with the entire transport sector to ensure this country has a transport system all New Zealanders can access, use and trust. We see our role as providing leadership in the transport sector including assisting economic development, assisting safety and personal security, improving access and mobility, protecting and promoting public health, and ensuring environmental sustainability.
The 2005/06 financial year saw some significant progress towards those goals.
On the international front, an air services arrangement negotiated with Russia opened up the Siberian skies for a new daily Air New Zealand service over Russia to London via Hong Kong.
These arrangements bring to a successful conclusion many years of negotiation by the Ministry with offi cials from the
United Kingdom, the European Commission and Hong Kong to secure the necessary opportunities for additional flights between New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
In February, the Ministry led a tripartite government, employer and worker delegation to the 94th (Maritime) session of the International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Conference adopted the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 to update and consolidate some 60 individual maritime labour instruments. Adoption of the consolidated Convention was a major success for the ILO and represents the culmination of five years' preparatory work by the Organization.
The Ministry undertook a review of Maritime New Zealand (Maritime NZ) to identify funding arrangements which would help provide a level of medium-term funding sufficient to ensure Maritime NZ is able to fulfil its statutory objectives efficiently and effectively.
Another area of major work for the Ministry involved investigating the potential for road pricing schemes and parking levies to reduce congestion and raise revenue for transport initiatives.
In 2004, the Government commissioned a review called the Auckland Road Pricing Evaluation Study. The information from that review helped inform a body of work led by the Ministry to identify the nature of the problem of traffic congestion in Auckland. The next step will be for the Government to review the information collected along with stakeholder feedback so informed policy decisions can be made.
A significant area of concern for the Ministry is road safety. The Government has an agreed plan called Road Safety to 2010. The goal is that by 2010 the annual road toll will be no more than 300 deaths and 4,500 hospitalisations. The road toll for 2005/06 was 363 deaths to 30 June. Whilst this was the lowest figure for a financial year (since reliable recordkeeping began in 1965/66), we clearly wish to further improve this result over coming years.
Two of the issues the Ministry recognised in trying to achieve the road safety goal was the need for improved coordination between those involved in road safety and better community buy-in. Consequently, we set up a State Highway Network Safety Coordination (NSC) project with the primary goal of reducing the crash rate on state highways. The project covers everything from engineering to enforcement and education.
Around fifty road corridors requiring work have been identified by analysing crash data, and identifying issues such as travelling too fast for road conditions. By working with communities, action plans have so far been developed detailing the engineering, enforcement and education initiatives for more than twenty of these road corridors.
The Ministry also led a Review of the Older Driver Licensing Policy, jointly initiated by the Minister of Transport and the Ministers for Transport Safety and Senior Citizens. The review involved consultation with more than 20 stakeholder groups, including Age Concern and Grey Power, and the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. It brings to an end compulsory age-based on-road driver licence testing for people over 80 years.
Three other significant events were noteworthy for the financial year 2005/06. Firstly, after nearly fifteen years in Waring Taylor Street, the Ministry’s Wellington offices were moved to Novell House at 89 The Terrace. This brought to an end the need to have our staff in two different buildings on either side of the street.
The second major event was the retirement of the Secretary for Transport, Dr Robin Dunlop. Robin became Secretary for Transport in February 2004, at a particularly challenging time for the New Zealand transport sector.
Robin oversaw the completion of the Government’s Transport Sector Review, a process that resulted in the disestablishment of the Land Transport Safety Authority and Transfund. It also created significant changes in the Ministry of Transport: staff numbers increased with the transfer of policy functions into the Ministry – hence another reason to shift premises.
During Robin’s tenure, considerable progress was made in delivering the New Zealand Transport Strategy (NZTS) outcome of improved collaboration between all transport entities in respect of administrative systems, policy and legislative development.
One example of this was the Transport Sector Strategic Directions document, which shows how the restructured government transport sector is embracing the new collaborative approach to planning and coordinating the implementation of the NZTS.
Robin had 34 years in both government and the transport sector and I thank him for his huge contribution, nationally and internationally.
The Ministry also had a year where it served four different Ministers of Transport. In chronological order they included Minister Pete Hodgson, Minister David Parker, Minister Hodgson (interim) and Minister Annette King, as well as the Minister for Transport Safety Harry Duynhoven and Associate Minister of Transport Judith Tizard. Each has contributed wisdom and skills to the Ministry’s development, and the New Zealand transport sector. I acknowledge their contribution and leadership.
Looking forward, the Ministry has a substantial work programme to implement in conjunction with the transport entities. This work programme covers many aspects of New Zealand transport including aviation, maritime, land transport by private and commercial car and truck, as well as passenger land transport.
In particular, there will be an emphasis on Auckland which, if it is to be a world class city, needs to have an integrated, effi cient and modern transport system. This requires substantial investment, planning and cooperation between the transport sector and local government. It also requires the support and understanding of all New Zealanders, in order for Auckland to play its part in both the national and international economy.
Another key area of policy for the New Zealand transport sector is the twin issues of peak oil and climate change policy. At the time of preparing this Annual Report the Government is carrying out a comprehensive review of climate change policies for New Zealand. We will be an active contributor to policy development on these important issues.
In relation to infrastructure, over the next five years the transport sector will receive an extra $1.3 billion of funding. This brings the total spend on transport to $13.4 billion over five years. Excellent leadership at all levels will be critical to ensure that funding is used wisely and effectively.
A further key challenge for 2006/07 will be to commence the process of developing a new or revised New Zealand transport strategy so that we have a clear framework for transport beyond the current target year of 2010.
As the new Secretary for Transport, I am pleased to have come into a Ministry that has such a solid base from which to build on as it works with the transport Crown entities to deliver the New Zealand Transport Strategy. I look forward to working towards an improved transport future.
Alan Thompson, Secretary for Transport