7. Question No. 7—Regional Economic DevelopmentHon TRACEY MARTIN (NZ First) to the Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentQuestion No. 7—Regional Economic Development7. Hon TRACEY MARTIN (NZ First) to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: What role is the Provincial Growth Fund intended to play in the Government's economic response to COVID-19?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Minister for Regional Economic Development: On behalf of the Minister if there's any good in a crisis it's that it shines a light on what is a good idea or not and COVID-19 has demonstrated that the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) with its attempt to build and expand infrastructure to expand development and to create real jobs and real wealth in exports has been confirmed as a brilliant idea. Now the Provincial Growth Fund's success so far with over 470 projects across our regions supported—Hon Jacqui Dean: Not for South Canterbury or Central Otago.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —including in the electorate of the member screaming out there wantonly not knowing what's going on in her own electorate. Our regions being supported means our regions are now better placed to deal with economic adversity such as our nation currently faces. And can I also say the brilliance of this idea is confirmed by the number of people from the National Party barging their way to be represented at every announcement in terms of electorate constituencies whilst coming down here and pouring cold water on that brilliance.Hon Tracey Martin: Will the Provincial Growth Fund be engaging with the regions about the repurposing of the fund and those regions' post-COVID-19 priorities?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: A brilliant question. On behalf of the Minister most certainly. Top-down Wellington-led processes have never served the regions well. The PGF has always prioritised engaging with those in the regions—Hon Paul Goldsmith: It's come from the top.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —as they know best what makes this economy tick not people from Epsom who never ran a business in their life—have never even run the school tuckshop and then front here as some sort of economic expert. How paradoxically stupid is that? There will need to be tough decisions made in the new reality we're faced with which means that some projects are no longer viable particularly in areas such as tourism but these decisions will be made together with those affected not dictated by some distant bureaucracy or some outdated neoliberal stupidity.Hon Tracey Martin: How has the Provincial Growth Fund supported regions to deal with crises like COVID-19?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Through the establishment of the PGF there is now the framework and relationships in place for central government and the regions to work together to boost prosperity. The PGF has also provided the impetus for those in our regions to cooperate—Hon Paul Goldsmith: How many jobs?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: And the member says What bull." I'm asking him to find one district councillor one mayor in any part of the provinces of this country that's not supporting the fund. That's my evidence not somebody parked up in Epsom who knows nothing about business and never will because he's never been engaged in business. [Interruption] Yeah both of those members have a similarity: they're cloned in terms of their inexperience. I want to say the PGF has provided the impetus for those in our regions to collaborate identify obstacles to greater productivity and in doing so improve the lives of their people. And can I say something: out there in the provinces there are people who've got hope for the first time because they know that their place in our society is as important as in central Wellington or in central Auckland or dare I say it in Epsom which exports very little and relies on the rest of the provinces to keep them alive.Hon Tracey Martin: What can New Zealanders do to help the regions as we begin the post-COVID-19 recovery?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Minister our regions have fantastic people products and services.Hon Simon Bridges: Name five.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Name five? Well Southland for example has about—Hon Simon Bridges: That's not a person.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Excuse me. Five people?Hon Simon Bridges: I want names.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh I thought you wanted to know five provinces.SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume his seat. It has got to the point of getting a bit noisy and a bit silly. I think the Minister acting for the Minister for Regional Economic Development was accurately answering an interjection and it gets a bit unreasonable when he's then screamed down for doing it. So if people don't want their interjections answered then they shouldn't make them.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Thank you Mr Speaker. Our regions have fantastic people products and services. Right now we can only access those in a limited way due to the lockdown but it's great to see people taking the initiative during this time to highlight high quality New Zealand - made products on social media. And dare I say it out in the provinces when you've got a close down for example in tourism there are alternative employment streams beginning to open—Hon Simon Bridges: Winston's larder.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —and we are super supporting those. The difference Mr Bridges is of course there are members of the National Party who every day get up in the morning and say "Thank God for New Zealand First and the Provincial Growth Fund."—Hon Simon Bridges: Name five.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —because they're getting nothing from the National Party at this point in time. Five? I can name half the caucus."