25 February 2021
Nicholas Lee
[FYI request #14262 email]
REF: OIA-7598
Dear Nicholas
Request made under the Official Information Act 1982
Thank you for your email
of 8 December 2020 to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet requesting the
following information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
In accordance with s 12 of the Official Information Act 1982, please provide any information, reports or advice
considered by the Government, in deciding to fund and build Mill Road, in respect of:
1. The increased greenhouse gas emissions that will result from the construction and operation of Mill
Road;
2. How Mill Road will impact New Zealand’s ability to meet the 2050 target for the reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions under s 5Q of the Climate Change Response Act 2002;
3. How Mill Road will impact New Zealand’s ability to meet its international obligations in respect of climate
change, including under the Paris Agreement;
4. Whether and how Mill Road will give effect to the Government’s objectives, recorded in the Government
Policy Statement on Land Transport 2018, of:
a. reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport; and
b. increasing mode shift from private vehicle trips to walking, cycling and public transport;
5. Whether and how Mill Road will give effect to the Government’s road safety strategy and plan, Road to
Zero, adopted in December 2019; and
6. The views of Auckland Council, including Auckland Council’s declaration of a climate emergency on 11
June 2019.
Your request was subsequently transferred to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency on 27 January 2021 for
response. Please note that we have subsequently also accepted transfer of questions 6 of your request. I
understand that there was a technical issue at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet which meant
that your request was transferred later than would have normally been expected.
The Mill Road project was identified and approved for funding through the NZ Upgrade Programme at a very early
stage of its development. No advice regarding Mill Roads impact on greenhouse/gas emissions, climate change,
the Road to Zero strategy or the Auckland Councils declaration of a climate emergency was provided to the
Government as part of the establishment of the NZ Upgrade Programme. I am therefore refusing parts 1, 2, 3, 4a,
5 and 6 under section 18(e) of the Act, as the documents requested do not exist.
I have identified one piece of advice, contained in a table, that was provided to the Government during the
establishment of the NZ Upgrade Programme regarding the scope, costs, timing and outcomes of the Mill Road
project, which falls within part 4b of your request. A copy of this advice is provided in the table below:
Project
Mill Road full proposal (stage 1, 2 & 3 and Drury south Interchange)
Outcome
This strategic alternative route will support large housing and employment growth
in Auckland’s south and is a priority network improvement in the Auckland Plan.
Improvements
Provision of a new four lane road and upgraded intersections from Manukau to
proposed
Drury running parallel and to the east of State Highway 1.
The northern section is approximately 9km and runs from the State Highway 1
Redoubt Road intersection at Manukau to the intersection of Mill Road and Popes
Road. The southern section will be from the Mill Road/Popes Road intersection to
Papakura and Drury.
It will include on-road cycle lanes and shared paths to improve safety for
pedestrians and cyclists and provide more reliable bus journey times and the
ability to move more passengers via public transport.
Phasing
Requires business case, design, consenting and property prior to construction.
Construction start
2022 (with phased delivery)
Estimated cost
$1.354bn ($1.197bn -$1.512bn)
As noted above, at the time of establishing the NZ Upgrade Programme and identifying projects for funding, it was
acknowledged that many of these were in very early stages of development and that a significant amount of pre-
implementation work, such as business cases and detailed design would be required before the final project
scope, cost and timeframe could be confirmed. It is during this pre-implementation phase that further detailed
emissions analysis will be undertaken.
While this did not form part of the advice to the Government when selecting Mill Road for inclusion in the NZ
Upgrade Programme, the following information may be of interest to you.
Mill Road is part of an integrated transport package for South Auckland which also includes improvements to
public transport and active mode infrastructure to support anticipated future growth in this area and broader
transport outcomes such as inclusive access. Greenhouse gas emissions modelling has been undertaken by the
Supporting Growth Alliance at a project level and system wide level for Mill Road through regional modelling. The
modelling indicates that while the project in isolation may contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions, the
overall transport package will deliver a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared with a future
baseline with no integrated transport package. This information was provided to you in response to your previous
request (reference OIA-7425).
Understanding the emissions impacts of transport decisions is a new area of consideration for Waka Kotahi. We
recognise that programmes underway, and decisions yet to be made relating to land use, infrastructure, policy
and regulation will determine the carbon future. Quantitative data on the emission reduction required overall for
the land transport sector, and in relation to specific projects and programmes, to meet the 2030 and 2050 targets
is not currently available and is a work in progress to respond to these requirements.
Waka Kotahi launched Toitū Te Taiao - Our Sustainability Action Plan in April 2020 which signals our commitment
to improving environmental sustainability and public health, and sets a vision of a low carbon, safe and healthy
land transport system by 2050. Reducing land transport greenhouse gas emissions using a whole of system
approach is identified one of four major challenge areas. Further information about this work is available on our
website: nzta.govt.nz/about-us/about-waka-kotahi-nz-transport-agency/environmental-and-social-
responsibility/toitu-te-taiao-our-sustainability-action-plan/
Waka Kotahi is also developing an environmental impact model Te Puna Taiao for land transport investment. It
aims to identify the right kinds of interventions, in the right combinations and at the right levels, to significantly
reduce environmental harm arising from the land transport system. The priority focus is on reducing carbon
emissions. We are using the model to assist the Ministry of Transport and the Climate Change Commission with
planning for transport emission reductions.
We are working with the Ministry of Transport in the development of the Transport Emissions Action Plan (TEAP)
to identity system changes that would enable investment programmes such as the National Land Transport
programme to deliver greater levels of carbon reductions. A key component of this work is identifying how the
TEAP could influence future Government Policy Statements on Land Transport, as well as legislative and policy
settings.
With respect to the information that has been withheld, I do not consider there are any other factors which would
render it desirable, in the public interest, to make the information available.
Under section 28 of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review my decision to refuse this
request. The contact details for the Ombudsman can be located at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz.
Yours sincerely
Robyn Elston
Senior Manager, System Design
