2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterRt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes and especially our action to rein in inflation and to reduce the cost of living as part of our plan to rebuild the economy. We had a plan to fight inflation and we started work on day one stopping the wasteful spending removing costs on businesses and returning the Reserve Bank to a single focus on inflation. Now we see inflation is tracking down to 3.3 percent and heading lower and last week brought more good news for every Kiwi with a mortgage with the first cut to the official cash rate in 4½ years. We know life is tough out there but there are encouraging early signs that our plan is working to get New Zealand back on track.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: What responsibility does he take for the fact that since he became Prime Minister the monthly number of new building consents has dropped 26 percent 6000 jobs have gone from the building and construction sector and 57 percent of construction businesses now report difficulties with Government procurement and work consent conditions up from 36 percent last year?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well that is a function of bad economic mismanagement and vandalism from the previous administration that created something called inflation. And inflation works because you have an 84 percent increase in spending—wasteful spending much of it—and you increase debt from $5 billion to $100 billion and you hire 18000 more public servants: you get high levels of domestic inflation; that then leads to high levels of interest rates. When interest rates go up that leads to recession which is what we've been experiencing thank you to the previous Labour Government. And in turn that leads to rising unemployment. That's why this Government's working incredibly hard on the root causes of the problem which is actually getting inflation down so we get interest rates down so we get the economy growing and we keep people in work.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Well is the Civil Contractors association—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Now hang on. Sorry. Please don't talk while someone is asking a question.Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Is Civil Contractors New Zealand CEO Alan Pollard wrong when he said We have this strange situation where there's a mountain of infrastructure work that the country needs and it's coming"—but then goes on to say—"but since the election everything has stopped effectively."Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What is happening is there's no doubt that is a sector experiencing the impacts of inflation which is a gift from the previous administration. But importantly this is a Government that wants to get things built and I really appreciate the member's interest in the area of infrastructure and I'd ask him to come on board and support our fast-track legislation.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Why does the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' global monitor survey report that New Zealand's construction sector is now the most depressed since that survey started and is the most depressed in the world with more than half of respondents citing as a reason the change in Government in October 2023 which resulted in cuts delays and policy change.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Oh my goodness—oh my goodness. I just don't know where to start. What a gift. What I'd just say to that member is—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Hold on. You can't ask a question from your leader and then just barrack like crazy so you don't get the answer. Please—perhaps we'll ask the question again and then we'll have the answer reasonably presented. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Very happy to Mr Speaker. Why does the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' global monitor survey report that New Zealand's construction sector is now the most depressed since the survey started and is the most depressed in the world with more than half of respondents citing as the major reason the change in Government in October 2023 which resulted in cuts delays and policy change.Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: The reason that that sector is feeling it pretty tough is because of something called inflation high interest rates and recession which was a gift from the previous administration. What we have—we have a Government here that wants to invest in infrastructure make sure it's modern and reliable infrastructure that drives economic productivity in this country. We've taken the genius idea from David Parker about fast-track provisions; we're putting it in and expanding it further. I'd ask him to come on board and support the rule if he's serious about building infrastructure. Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Supplementary question Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: Could I just make the point that all the barracking and interjection doesn't make an answer turn into the answer that someone might be wanting to hear. By all means carry on.Hon Chris Bishop: What's the total value in dollar terms of the infrastructure projects that have been cancelled or delayed since his Government took office including school rebuilds and expansions roading projects rail upgrades hospital rebuilds State house upgrades and new builds and public transport projects?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well I'm sure if the member gives a specific question we can get him a specific answer. But what I would say is that there is $68 billion in this year's budget for infrastructure. I would also make a point to the member that actually having projects with names doesn't mean they are actually projects so spending six years on Auckland light rail spending $250-$300 million doesn't make it happen; it's just a post-it note slogan bumper sticker. That's what that is. The same thing happened on Lake Onslow; just another bumper sticker. So there's a difference between real projects that improve productivity and phantom projects that just actually are post-it notes. SPEAKER: I'll just make the point that while barracking against an answer that you don't like doesn't make it change nor does barracking in favour of an answer you like make it any better. So just a bit of calm.Hon David Seymour: When the Prime Minister eventually leaves office does he anticipate spending his first year out combing the world for statistics to show how badly he buggered the economy?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well I'd just say to the member on this side in the Government as he well knows he's part of a Government that actually wants to get things done. We think there are five things that we need to grow this country: a world-class education system—we didn't inherit that from the previous Government—and we've got to embrace science technology and innovation; we need to get rid of the red tape green tape and bureaucracy; we need to make sure we've got modern reliable infrastructure; and importantly international connections. That's what will drive economic growth.SPEAKER: It may surprise the member to know that the Prime Minister has no responsibility to this House for his future. Good question well answered but we'll go now to the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Will he take responsibility for construction sector business confidence collapsing under his Government's watch from one in three business having a confident outlook to only one in five now?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What I take responsibility for is rebuilding the economy and the hell of a mess that we inherited and you're starting to see that. We have stopped the wasteful spending we've stopped loading costs up on businesses we're getting spending under control. That's driving inflation down thankfully—and I would hope the member is joining us in great celebration—with the lower interest rates that came through last week and from that will flow economic growth and ultimately more employment opportunities for people.Rt Hon Chris Hipkins: Does he think the 6000 people who've lost their jobs in the building and construction sector and the firms who are closing because they have a shortage of work because of his Government's decisions think that this is what getting back on track looks like?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I think those 6000 workers understand that a Government that had six years mucked around and actually drove the economy into a hole is the reason why they're doing it pretty tough. But they know on this side the Government want to actually to make sure we build infrastructure and we get things done and that's going to happen.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Has he got any plans to assign $54 million for example for a cycleway over the Auckland Harbour Bridge and when it's all over nothing is done with it?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: There was a lot of phantom projects from the previous Government. We can go through them if you'd like. There was the cycle pathway over the Auckland Harbour Bridge. That was a lovely idea for about a week and a half or so—Hon Kieran McAnulty: Point of order. It's the general approach as you've suggested to try and leave you to deal with that but that immediate response from the Prime Minister was to have a crack at the previous Government and it should have been ruled out right then. The question wasn't about that but the Prime Minister made the answer about that and it was out of order.SPEAKER: Well that might be something that I'll need to look at the Hansard to reconsider. Thank you."