Wagner Nicky: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is subject to correctionWagner Nicky: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 23 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14184. Text is subject to correction.]5.NICKY WAGNER (National—Christchurch Central) to theMinister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: What recent progress has been made on the anchor projects in the Christchurch Central recovery plan?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery): Very good progress is being made. Last week the Prime Minister unveiled the design for the $300 million Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct. Earthworks are scheduled to begin in the next 4 months making this the first major public building built in Christchurch since the earthquakes. Other anchor projects are gathering momentum including the bus interchange with construction due to begin in the early part of next year; the hospital redevelopment which is under way or at least planning is well down the track; and that leads us to the convention centre for which significant expressions of interest are currently being considered.Nicky Wagner: How are the anchor projects providing examples of better public services?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The rebuild provides an opportunity for innovations and the capturing of efficiencies in the way public service is offered rather than simply doing things the way they were done before. The justice precinct is a premier example of this and leads strongly to a better public service. It will house several justice sector agencies in one location enabling them to share facilities and services and work together more effectively. This will be the largest multi-agency Government project in New Zealand’s history.Nicky Wagner: Why are the anchor projects important to the recovery of the central city?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The anchor projects will reinvigorate the central city by attracting more people and businesses. The justice precinct alone will bring 2000 employees and visitors into the central city every day in addition to 1700 Government employees from 20 Government departments located in other central business district buildings by 2016. Bringing people into the central business district will give confidence to other investors like Anthony Gough who has already begun work on his $140 million retail complex and the developers of the Orly Building and 151 Cambridge both now under way which represent further examples of how a catalyst project can get others to do things alongside them.Dr Megan Woods: Will he guarantee that he will have signed off the central city transport plan before Christmas given that his own officials advised him on 1 July 2013 which was 3 to 4 months after the initial due date that the approval of the plan was urgently required to enable the commissioning of key works needed to support the early delivery of anchor projects; if not why not?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Yes.Dr Megan Woods: I seek leave to table a document released to me under the Official Information Act a briefing from the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority to the Minister telling him about the urgency—Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table the document which is a briefing to the Minister. Is there any objection to it being tabled? [Interruption] Order! It can be tabled. [Interruption] Sorry. There was objection. I apologise. It will not be tabled.