Bayly Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBayly Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 04 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4334. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.ANDREW BAYLY (National—Hunua) to the Minister of Finance: As part of the Government’s wider economic plan how will Budget 2015 help families and businesses in New Zealand’s regions?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Associate Minister of Finance) on behalf of theMinister of Finance: Budget 2015 will help families and businesses in the regions by building on an economic plan that is working for regional New Zealand. Some Budget measures are specific to the regions and some will deliver benefits right across New Zealand. For example in science and innovation there is $25 million over 3 years for new regional research institutes which will support regional innovation. In addition there is an $80 million boost over 4 years to research and development growth grants which will support innovative businesses around New Zealand carrying out research and development.Andrew Bayly: What measures were included in the Budget to support the construction of modern infrastructure in regional New Zealand?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Much more good news. As part of a $244 million school building package new schools will be built in Whakatāne Gisborne Hastings Rolleston and Hamilton. There will be significant school expansions in Papamoa and Queenstown. The Budget provides a $360 million boost for world-class internet connectivity in the regions. This includes $100 million to expand fast reliable rural broadband and $210 million for the next stage of extending ultra-fast broadband to smaller towns and to reach 80 percent of New Zealanders. There is $52 million for a new wharf on the Chatham Islands and the Government has signed housing accords with local councils in Tauranga Western Bay of Plenty Queenstown Lakes and Tasman and negotiations for further accords in areas such as Nelson are under way.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect that was an extraordinarily long answer and frankly—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will immediately resume his seat. As I have pointed out to the House I judge the length of answers and what does determine that to some extent is the level of interjection that a Minister may be getting. Since we have started question time there has been an unacceptable level of interjection coming particularly from some members on my left. I am the one who deals with complaints from the public that the amount of cross chatter in this House is meaning that people who want to view Parliament and watch the proceedings are unable to understand the answers because of the level of interjection. A reasonable amount of interjection I fully accept but when it is a constant barrage from one or two members particularly then I will have no choice but to deal with it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: I have dealt with the first point of order. If it is a fresh one I will hear it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: It is a new point of order. Am I to understand therefore that if there is what you would call untoward behaviour on one side of the House then all the rules about terseness of an answer are out the window?Mr SPEAKER: The member is raising exactly the same point of order but for his benefit I will explain. When an answer is being given by a Minister and there is a constant level of interjection many Ministers take the opportunity of responding to that interjection. I think that it is fair enough to then allow the answer to be longer. But as I said at the start of my ruling on the first point of order the member raised I am here to judge when an answer has become too long and I will make that judgment. I do not need assistance from any member in that regard.Grant Robertson: In light of that answer around the rebuilding of schools will he guarantee today the rebuilding of Northland College?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: That is actually a matter for the Minister of Education. But this Government is investing massive amounts into the Ministry of Education’s School Building Programme. As well as investing the money that is already in the Budget we are investing $1 billion—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! On this occasion the Minister did answer immediately.Andrew Bayly: How did Budget 2015 provide further assistance and support for transport and tourism in our regions?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The Budget allocated $97 million as the first instalment into the Government’s $212 million additional regional roads programme. This allocation will focus on improving five regional highways in Northland the East Coast Taranaki the West Coast and Queenstown. In terms of tourism national cycle trails around the country are supporting tourism and local jobs across the regions and Budget 2015 provided another $3 million to help complete Northland’s Twin Coast Cycle Trail.Andrew Bayly: How does growth in the regions contribute to New Zealand’s international trade in goods and services?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The regions are making a very important contribution to New Zealand’s international trading position. Statistics New Zealand yesterday issued its first analysis combining New Zealand’s trade in both goods and services. This comprehensive figure of our international trade showed that New Zealand earned $2.8 billion more from exports than we spent on imports in the year to March 2015. These included such things as dairy exports to China; a big growth in kiwifruit; forestry of course is a big contributor; and the meat sector. Of course these are very much products of regional New Zealand. Of course spending by visitors from Australia and the European Union also contributed and that is a big regional contribution as well.