Barry Maggie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBarry Maggie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 18 February 2014. Volume:696;Page:15973. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.MAGGIE BARRY (National—North Shore) to theMinister of Finance: What progress is the Government making with its multibillion-dollar investment programme in modern infrastructure?Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance): Despite the domestic recession and the global financial crisis over the last 5 years the Government has set out a multibillion-dollar investment programme in infrastructure for growth. This includes roads rail ultra-fast broadband rural broadband electricity transmission and rebuilding Christchurch. The programme has added almost $16 billion worth of infrastructure assets to the Government’s books over the past 3 years alone and will certainly assist a growing economy over the next 5 years.Maggie Barry: What recent reports has the Minister received providing a comprehensive analysis of the performance and the condition of New Zealand’s infrastructure networks?Hon BILL ENGLISH: The National Infrastructure Unit today issued its first evidence base report. Up until now policy making on infrastructure has lacked such evidence. Putting it together has involved the participation of Government agencies local government the private sector as well as users of infrastructure. It is the first comprehensive analysis of the condition of New Zealand’s infrastructure networks. In particular the evidence base concludes that good progress has been made in better planning of our national infrastructure investment. TheNational Infrastructure Evidence Base provides the essential information that will allow us to plan more accurately and to make sound investments in the future.Maggie Barry: What does theNational Infrastructure Evidence Base report say about the future challenges New Zealand faces in managing its infrastructure networks better?Hon BILL ENGLISH: The evidence base highlights the need to better understand what drives the future demand for infrastructure and also to look more closely at the options for meeting that demand in a growing economy. Of course some of these challenges relate to technological changes and others to demographic changes. Our traditional ways of spending more and building more infrastructure will need to change if we are going to manage demand effectively and invest carefully. With over $120billion worth of taxpayer infrastructure assets there is plenty of scope to manage existing infrastructure better as well as to improve decisions about new infrastructure.Maggie Barry: What have been some of the Government’s main infrastructure investments over the past few years?Hon BILL ENGLISH: The Government has added around $16 billion worth of infrastructure assets to its balance sheet in recent years. Just some examples are that around $950 million has been or will be spent on the electricity grid; $690 million has been invested in rolling out ultra-fast broadband; the Government is executing a $12 billion National Land Transport Programme the largest ever in New Zealand including very significant expenditure on public transport; around $1 billion has been allocated for the 21st Century School Building Programme in Christchurch; and much more.