7. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour—Te Atatū) to the Minister of Transport: What assurances did Hon Steven Joyce give Snapper CEO Miki Szikszai in relation to Snapper’s participation in the Auckland integrated ticketing arrangement when they met on 3 March 2012?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Transport) : None.

Phil Twyford: Is he aware that Steven Joyce, shortly after becoming Minister, repeatedly sought official advice on whether it was possible to cancel the integrated ticketing scheme being set up by the Auckland Regional Transport Authority, because he thought that Snapper could just run it instead?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: No, but what I do know is that Mr Joyce did not meet Snapper chief executive officer Miki Szikszai on 3 March 2012, because he was not the Minister of Transport at that time.

Phil Twyford: I seek the leave of the House to table an email from the Minister’s office of 24 November 2008, in which he asks the Ministry of Transport: “Why do we need to spend $100 million on an integrated ticketing scheme in Auckland when Snapper has been provided … privately?”.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

• Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Phil Twyford: I seek leave to table another document. It is from the Minister’s office dated 16 December 2008 and it poses a number of questions to ministry officials, including “Can this project be stopped?”, “What would be the implications of stopping?”, and so on.

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

• Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Phil Twyford: I seek the leave of the House to table another communication from the office of Steven Joyce, dated 16 March 2009, in which his office asks: “Is there a clause in the ARTA tender process which provides an out clause prior to signing of the contract. … is there anything else that ARTA could reference as being a barrier to proceeding.”

Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.

• Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Phil Twyford: Does he agree with the policy decision made by his predecessor, Steven Joyce, which resulted in Snapper being allowed back into the integrated ticketing process against official advice, which led to delays, cost overruns, Snapper being kicked out of the project, and, now, the Auckland ratepayer facing a $20 million lawsuit?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Firstly, I think the assertion that Mr Twyford is making is wrong, just as the primary question he put on the sheet was completely wrong. What I would say is that there is nothing wrong with a Minister, in fact, trying to find out all the details of a circumstance in order to effect good public policy and save the taxpayer some money. It was always the position of the Government that there should be capacity for interoperability among different cards on the system.

Phil Twyford: Will he accept responsibility for the decision to allow Snapper back into Auckland’s integrated ticketing project; and will he indemnify the Auckland ratepayer against any legal action by Snapper, given that all of the evidence points to ministerial interference in the decision to allow Snapper back into the project?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Well, there can be no truth to the assertion that all the evidence points in a particular direction. What is true, though, is that the contract is with Auckland Transport and it is its responsibility as to how it all ends up.

Phil Twyford: Is he concerned about the comments from Mr Szikszai about the 3 March meeting, given that they indicate that Steven Joyce gave assurances that Snapper would be let back into the project, against official advice, and given the apparent circumventing of proper procurement processes with regard to the use of public money; will he refer this matter to the Auditor-General?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It depends on which 3 March you are talking about, because 3 March 2012, as mentioned in the primary question, is not a date on which the Hon Steven Joyce was Minister of Transport and he did not have a meeting with Mr Szikszai.