3. Question No. 3—InfrastructureCHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for InfrastructureQuestion No. 3—Infrastructure3. CHRIS BISHOP (National) to the Minister for Infrastructure: How many of the Infrastructure Reference Group projects approved for funding have been completed and how many are due to complete construction in 2024 or later?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister for Infrastructure): On 1 July 2020 the Government announced the Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) programme to help kick-start the post-COVID rebuild by creating jobs and unlocking more than $5 billion worth of projects up and down New Zealand. The purpose of this programme was to create jobs and provide much-needed economic stimulus as well as certainty for investors and private sector businesses at a time of incredible uncertainty. As of 30 January 2023 82 of the 224 projects with funding agreements in place have been completed. I am advised that a further 86 projects are forecast to be completed by the end of 2023 and this will account for around 75 percent of the projects. A further 57 projects are forecast to be completed in 2024 or later.Chris Bishop: Why are six of the alleged shovel-ready projects yet to begin construction and how on earth can they be regarded as shovel-ready?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: There are four projects that have delays that have been talked about in terms of those. Many of those are outside of the control of the funding decisions that were made. If we have a look for example at the Marton Rail Hub: that has been appealed to the Environment Court so we need to await the findings of that court. If we have a look at the Nelson port slipway for example this was only contracted in December 2022 due to protracted commercial negotiations. Likewise the Kaipara stopbank enhancement did have a contract variation that was required. These were projects that were worked up during 2020 when the world was staring down the barrel of a construction sector with no work to do. There have been variations—and with $5 billion worth of infrastructure spend there are four projects that have yet to be off the ground. But $1.41 billion of the $2.5 billion that was budgeted has been spent to date.Chris Bishop: Why is the Government funding programmes—or projects—that are subject to in the Minister's own words protracted commercial negotiations" and "Environment Court appeals" before they can start and why are they regarded as shovel-ready?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The member may one day find out that sometimes there are delays with infrastructure projects. And as his party when in Government found there were programmes that failed to get off the ground. But I have seen a range of people around the country waxing lyrical around some of the IRG projects. I point to the Kōpū Marine Precinct project when I saw a commentator say "[The] project is going to be endearing profitable and culturally advantageous to our district. … Today [the] shovel ready project—and what will come from it—in many respects is a back to the future project—to a time when Kōpū was the hub of commerce"—SPEAKER: Order!Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: —sorry and of course that was Scott Simpson.SPEAKER: The Minister has completed the answer.Chris Bishop: Why has the Government used shovel-ready money to fund the white elephant boondoggle that is Project Onslow that on the Government's own time line—optimistic time line—is not due to be complete until 2030?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The funding that was put through the IRG projects is for a process called the New Zealand Battery Project. It is about making sure that we have a plan to deal with the electrification and the decarbonisation of New Zealand. The money that was allocated in there was never to build the battery whichever of those options would be; it is to do the detailed long-term thinking that his party obviously does not understand needs to occur.Chris Bishop: Is she confident that of all the projects funded through the shovel-ready process selected by Ministers those projects were the top projects recommended by the independent IRG reference group?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: There were 26 projects that came in later than the reference group process—of course they all did go through a process and they went through Cabinet and I can have confidence in those processes. If I look at one of those the Awarua kaumātua housing project that was one of those 26 for example: last year I had the privilege of going to open that project. They have been completed—and there are kaumātua living in those homes today because this Government had the foresight to invest in infrastructure."