12. Question No. 12—Regional Economic DevelopmentCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentQuestion No. 12—Regional Economic DevelopmentCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South): I seek leave to revise the wording of the oral question to correct the name of the individual named in the question.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that? There is. Can I just say we had some problems—I think on the last sitting day—with regard to very late changes to questions. In this particular case I was informed about a quarter of an hour before the House sat of the reliance on a television report for the spelling of an individual's name which as it turned out was incorrect. I thought rather than have a very late change again and cause consternation I would recommend to the member that he seek the leave of the House in order to change it to the man's correct name rather than the name that was incorrectly spelt in a Television New Zealand website report.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The problem with that is that it's my belief—and the research that we've done on behalf of Shane Jones in this respect—that the whole story's incorrect and that's our point. That's why we're not going to grant him leave.SPEAKER: In that particular case the member will ask the question as it is on the order paper.12. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: Has he seen the comments of Southland business owner Colin Hitchell in relation to the Provincial Growth Fund officials They said they'd come to Southland because they'd overspent in Northland and they were down here to even the score" and is it correct that there is a desire by officials to spend more in Southland in comparison with Northland?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Minister for Regional Economic Development: Yes. I have seen the comments and like the question they are utterly incorrect.Chris Bishop: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Just in relation to the second part of the question I don't believe the Minister answering on behalf of the Minister addressed the second part of that question.SPEAKER: He said it's completely incorrect. If half the answers were as straight and direct as that one the place would be a lot happier.Chris Bishop: Why did provincial development unit staff reportedly say to Mr Hitchen after he told them he was interested in buying $480000 of new equipment "That's not enough. You must be able to do better than that."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well first of all it is usual for the Provincial Growth Fund staff to go through an application look at the fiscals and sometimes say "You have not applied for enough to make this stand up." That's happened all over this country by independent and neutral assessors and that's how it happened. But as for the rest of the story referring to Southland and Northland that is a fiction.Chris Bishop: Why did provincial development unit staff reportedly say to Mr Hitchen "We need you to ask for at least this amount now if not more." and ask "why were we being so cagey as when they were in Northland no one worried about paying this back. We may not revisit this place and see how you are going."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again this is a very good commentary on the New Zealand media. This story is run by TVNZ without any evidence or substance whatsoever which probably suggests and gives you the reason why RNZ and TVNZ are having a row right now.Chris Bishop: Is it correct provincial development unit staff offered to fill out the Provincial Growth Fund application form for Mr Hitchen on the basis that time was of the essence and the money had to be drawn down as soon as possible?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again officials have always completed the application for many many applicants. [Interruption] Yes they have. [Interruption] Well we don't deny people the right to make an application simply because they can't complete the form. That's the difference between this Government and that group over there. But here's the point—here's the point—this was from a feasibility study two years prior to that and yet it failed. Again here's a full-scale investigation into a failed application. That's a new one in Western democracy.Chris Bishop: Is he saying to the Parliament that in the hundreds probably thousands of applications to the Provincial Growth Fund so far all of those application forms have always been filled out by officials not the people actually seeking the money?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again that's not what was said here. What was said here—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume his seat. This is an important issue and I want the answer to be heard. When people—probably about 15 members on that occasion—start yelling even with the not gentle voice of the Deputy Prime Minister I'm having trouble hearing him. The Deputy Prime Minister will answer and the rest of the House will be silent.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The reality is that in hundreds of cases the applications are worked through with the applicants and the Provincial Growth Fund staff and frequently they assist in the completion of the application form. That's normal with any law office accounting office and any other assessing office but not with respect to the National Party clearly.Chris Bishop: Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No. The questions for the Opposition have been used."