The aim of this bill is to implement a new planning and funding framework for the heavy rail track network. I want to begin by thanking the Transport and Infrastructure Committee for the time and effort that they've put into this bill and for the amendments that the committee has recommended, which I support. I also want to express my appreciation for the time and effort that submitters put into providing input into the bill. The committee received 87 written submissions and heard 24 oral submissions from a range of submitters who reflect the interesting and diverse range of people who care about rail in New Zealand: from the freight and commuter sectors, from the commanding heights of our export economy, through to those who strongly believe that rail can contribute to the big goal that we have in our cities to move more people with fewer vehicles. 