5. Economic Programme—Regional DevelopmentHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentEconomic Programme—Regional Development5. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: Does he stand by his Cabinet paper statement that Regional economic development is an essential component of the Government's economic strategy"?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Regional Economic Development): Yes.Hon Paul Goldsmith: What are the other components of the Government's economic strategy?Hon SHANE JONES: The move slightly to the left so I can see him. The other components of our economic strategy are human capital development unleashing the potential of Māori resources and also going into the areas where the last Government squandered opportunities by stacking everything up with red tape. In relation to the provincial growth fund contributing to the economic narrative we are actually going to fund infrastructure. I've started to do it in the North unlike the "10" Bridges.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does the Minister think ceasing all oil and gas exploration would help New Zealand's regions?Hon SHANE JONES: The extractive sector is an important part of the provincial economy. However it along with a whole a host of other industries are about to enter the transition phase as this Government leads New Zealand towards a 2050 position of carbon neutrality.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he still hold the view that parts of Northland are commercially barren not unlike the minds that conceived the rhetoric opposed to further oil and gas exploration?Hon SHANE JONES: Yes to the extent that I understand that came from Greenpeace I absolutely stand by my words.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Why doesn't he upbraid the Prime Minister with the same vigour he upbraids Air New Zealand given that her actions will hurt the regions far more?SPEAKER: No—no no. Jami-Lee Ross: Why not?SPEAKER: The Minister for Regional Development has no responsibility whatsoever for the Prime Minister's statements.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That wasn't the question. The question was "Why is it that the Minister can be so free with his criticisms of anybody else around this particular issue when he hasn't conveyed that message also to the Prime Minister?" That's quite a reasonable question.SPEAKER: And if it had been phrased that way it might have got through.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well could he have another go?Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Speaker's rulings 155/3: "Members are able to ask Ministers whether they agree with the views of other people as long as that view that is being expressed is about a matter that is very much the Minister's responsibility." So I'd ask respectfully how your ruling fits with that Speaker's ruling.SPEAKER: Because the tone of the question the wording of the question and the area of responsibility—I think it failed on three counts. Paul Goldsmith do you have any further supplementaries?Hon Paul Goldsmith: Yep. [Interruption] I'll work my tune. A different question—if he were to visit the region of Taranaki would he repeat what he said in 2013 "I'm keen to defang the misrepresentations that are abounding that somehow the oil and gas sector has disappeared from our purview. Nothing could be further from the truth and if my visit provides the opportunity to reinforce the centrality of jobs the importance of industry and the need for a future Labour-led Government to assuage whatever anxieties might be in the minds of employers or future investors then I am up for the task."?Hon SHANE JONES: I think it's fair to say that political rhetoric isn't static.Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: Can the Minister confirm that this Government has never proposed retrospective decisions and therefore won't impact on the current oil and gas industry jobs that exist today and that he has seen the statements by the Leader of the Opposition on 3 March stating that New Zealand needed to transition away from fossil fuels?Hon Paula Bennett: That was a bad tone.Hon SHANE JONES: Paula turituri e kui.[Paula keep quiet old lady.]Yes I thoroughly agree with everything the Prime Minister has said—Hon Simon Bridges: Well you're allowed to now.Hon SHANE JONES: —and I myself was quite—taiho e tama [hang on young fellow]. The reality is that we've heard a flowering an opening of ideas from the new Opposition leader about the transition economy.SPEAKER: Just to make it clear because I had been asked by a senior member of the Opposition to identify people who result in the Opposition losing questions: two of those were Dr Nick Smith and one was someone unidentified but down that way as well. So there were three. There was minus three out of that.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he think the taxpayer investment he is sprinkling around the regions will make up for the reduced foreign investment likely to result from his Government's proposed overseas investment rules?Hon SHANE JONES: The final shape and form of the overseas investment legislation lies still with the House. The small interventions to date that have been made are a monstrous improvement on the barren promises of the last Minister in the north for 10 bridges. In fact everywhere I go National former politicians are congratulating me."