2. Question No. 2—FinanceHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 2—Finance2. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of Finance: Is he confident that Government is taking the necessary steps to preserve jobs and strengthen the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I am. This Government has acted swiftly and decisively to put in place a number of initiatives to help affected businesses and workers. These include support for the tourism and fisheries industries an extra $4 million for the Regional Business Partner programme as well as the support that workers and businesses get through the Ministry of Social Development and IRD. Yesterday Cabinet approved work that we are doing alongside the business community to develop a business continuity package targeted at affected businesses workers and regions. This is on top of what is the most important part of our economic response—the comprehensive public health response that the Government is overseeing. This public health response is our front line against the economic impacts of COVID-19 and I am proud of the work that our public health officials are doing.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he accept that further substantial increases in the minimum wage will make it harder for businesses to stay in business?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Why is the Government still in the mind-set of adding costs to employers through further substantial minimum wage increases on 1 April?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: We're not. The Government's mind-set is making sure that the lowest-income New Zealanders get a fair go can put food on the table and look after their families. This is a situation where we are in a phase where a targeted approach to supporting businesses who are affected is important while at the same time protecting the incomes of New Zealanders.David Seymour: Does the Minister stand by the Government's policy of raising the minimum wage to $17.70 at this time last year?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I stand by all of the Government's actions with regard to the minimum wage.David Seymour: If the Minister agrees with the minimum wage where it is why does he propose to raise it on businesses up and down New Zealand at a time of great economic difficulty?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: We have traversed this material already. This is a situation where the lowest-income New Zealanders deserve to get a fair go. This is money that will circulate around the economy having a stimulatory effect. We are working alongside our business community right now to make sure we do a targeted response.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Where does he think a struggling small business—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! The member just lost next week's supplementaries.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Where does he think a struggling small business say in the hospitality sector right now will find the money to pay the increase in the minimum wage?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Businesses around New Zealand—and this may come as a surprise to the member—have been preparing for an increase in the minimum wage for some time. As the Prime Minister has already said most small businesses in New Zealand pay their workers in excess of the minimum wage already. We on this side of the House stand alongside both the businesses and low-income New Zealanders in focusing on helping both of them through this situation.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Did he listen to the feedback from the business community as expressed by the chief economist of ANZ that postponement of the minimum wage is a No-brainer"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I heard that advice but I also have heard from a number of other members of the business community how pleased they are with the business continuity package that we announced yesterday that they've welcomed this and they realise that this is exactly the kind of approach we should be taking.Hon Paul Goldsmith: How much if any of the $12 billion infrastructure spending announced at the start of the year will be spent in the first half of this year?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As of the time of the announcement we said that five projects would be started this year. We continue to spend already on infrastructure before we even get to the $12 billion package far in excess of the previous Government. There is more money going into transport more money going into health infrastructure more money going into education infrastructure—the member should catch up.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Given you have just removed all of the supplementaries allocated to ACT for the next five sitting days and removed any chance of holding the Government to account through supplementary questions I just wonder: do you plan to penalise the Labour Party member who started the altercation for which you penalised ACT?SPEAKER: If the member sits down I'll reply to him.David Seymour: It's a reasonable question.SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat. I do not because that member did not interject while Mr Goldsmith was speaking. That member did twice.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: The member's looking for an extension?David Seymour: Mr Speaker your version of events is plainly impossible. It couldn't have happened that way because it was an interchange where we were replying to each other. Andrew Little spoke three times I spoke twice so it is impossible that your version of events is true or your treatment is fair.SPEAKER: Well in that particular case I'll take two questions off the Labour Party now. I might say that possibly because of his volume and almost certainly because of his direction I could hear that member very loudly as could everyone in the House whereas I could not hear Mr Little. But the Labour Party will lose two supplementary questions today.David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It's good to see that you're at least formally upholding equality between members but the effect of this judgment on the ability of the Opposition versus the Government is still grossly disproportionate on the two sides—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. He should have thought of that before he started interjecting."