1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime MinisterHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National): My question is to the Prime Minister: does she agree with the comments regarding shovel-ready projects made by the Rt Hon Winston Peters in a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce that I have the list the whole list—why they are not telling you I don't know."—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Order! It's not quite the quote. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National): I beg your pardon? SPEAKER: It's not quite the quote. The member has to quote the quote accurately. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National): I tell you what I'll read off your notes not mine—how's that? SPEAKER: I'm reading off the ones that were submitted but carry on. 1. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she agree with the comments regarding shovel-ready projects made by the Rt Hon Winston Peters in a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce "I've got the list the whole lot—why they are not telling you I don't know. But I'm going to go back and find out. How can you tender if you don't know?"Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes in the context that it was made. For example the Government has a list of projects and the question was being put by a potential tenderer who wanted to know how she could become part of the tendering process. She was told of course there is a list but of course when the fiscals and all the due diligence is done before the tendering process opens not until that time can you start tendering. When the tender goes up to the whole wide world that's when that person can be part of the process and Mr Brownlee I've got the list here for what it's worth—google it. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well how was the Government able to issue the press release detailing the shovel-ready project funding by region with an estimate of jobs if they had not confirmed the details of the shovel-ready projects—meaning that the list can be released in the substantive form mentioned by the Prime Minister today? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister when one has a grasp of commercial actions and transactions you do realise that people out there understand how the process works. It's very hard to inform a person without that knowledge of how the intricacies of these commercial transactions work but we have announced about 60 projects worth over $750 million as a Government since the launch by Minister Robertson and Minister Jones on 1 July. The list of announced IRG projects—meaning Infrastructure Industry Reference Group projects—are up on the Crown infrastructure partnership website Mr Brownlee. I'm happy for my office to send him these details because I do realise it's very hard for that member to have been caught up with these problems given what's been happening lately. SPEAKER: Order! The voice of the Prime Minister. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Why has the Government not released the full list of shovel-ready projects with accompanying details—which the Prime Minister now says they have—as was announced on 1 July so that work can begin? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I'm very grateful for Mr Brownlee to get to the very issue that is at the centre of this Government's action and that is immediacy—not some other time in the distant future but right here right now. The Government took only six weeks between receiving the initial infrastructure reference group report in mid-May and announcing the first projects that showed we'd progress them with dynamic speed and 1924 submissions for projects were received. Due diligence on more than 150 projects takes time and sometimes announcements are not able to be made in order to protect the Crown's negotiating position. Anyone who understands commercial transactions will realise—because they do understand it of course—how sensitive that is. I note the Prime Minister went to reopen Redcliffs School last week nine years after the Canterbury earthquake which that member was in charge of managing the recovery from and we're still having to work on it nine years later Mr Brownlee. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Is it fair and kind for the Government to be drip-feeding projects via ministerial visits press releases and other announcements instead of releasing the full list of projects and delivering certainty for the construction sector? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister—and perhaps answering more in her name than in my own—fairness and kindness is the middle name of the Prime Minister but I want to say that the Government has been undertaking due diligence on some of the projects. Releasing them early would impede commercial negotiations and that's clear if you know anything about commercial transactions. The Government will announce the projects when it's appropriate to do so. This programme is a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the impact on the economy and is proof that we have listened to our businesses and communities about their needs. This work stream will provide a pipeline of work across different sectors in different regions and will help provide much-needed certainty. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Did she receive a question from the Rt Hon Winston Peters asking her why the Government was not releasing the full list of shovel-ready projects with the details she's outlined for the House today to provide certainty for the more than 200000 construction workers currently receiving the wage subsidy? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister understanding that particularity when a question is put relates to the circumstances in which the question was asked by the lady at that meeting—a packed-to-the-wall meeting I might say and I was devastated by the response. But it was clear as daylight that she wanted to know how to become a tenderer and that's why the way the question was put by Mr Brownlee is simply wrong. Jenny Marcroft: How has this Government's record on infrastructure compared to the previous Government?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister unlike some people who talk but there's not any action we intend to build things and not just issue uncosted press releases of $31 billion with no costings or detail whatsoever going from Tauranga to Katikati—SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Order! We're now into the areas where the Prime Minister does not have responsibility. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: But I'll get it to where she has got it—can I? SPEAKER: No. Jenny Marcroft: How much has the Government announced in infrastructure investment over the next 10 years and how does that compare to other parties' proposals? SPEAKER: Order! Order! The first part may be answered and it's a warning to the Prime Minister not to stray into the second part. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well—Hon Grant Robertson: Good luck with that. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The Minister of Finance will not comment on my rulings especially if he wants to be present to answer his questions. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister can I say it's not $11 billion it's not $21 billion and it's not $31 billion but $54 billion has been planned by this Government—not $31 billion but $54 billion. It will be costed and better still for the great comfort of businesses and workers around New Zealand it will be supported by the money to back it up. We will not take years and years and years like happened in Canterbury—SPEAKER: Order! Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh sorry—I've got to bounce this back. SPEAKER: The member will apologise to the House. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I apologise. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Given that the Government is claiming such an extraordinary record of announcements of infrastructure projects can she explain why her Government is ignoring the Rt Hon Winston Peters' assertion that contractors must know what the projects are in the shovel-ready line-up in order to be able to tender for them? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Thank you very much. On behalf of the Prime Minister that's exactly what the Prime Minister found out the question dialogue was all about. A lady wanted to know "How can I become a tenderer?" and the answer is that when the process has had all the fiscals done and all the legal work done and it goes online if she keeps her mind on there and if she—like Mr Brownlee—googles it she will know exactly that day in the first minute and will get equal treatment. But here's the fact of the matter: on 1 April this resource group established and announced applications sought—that's 1 April. On 17 May the report was received. On 29 June Cabinet signed off the broad allocations. On 1 July the launch and initial projects were confirmed. As Harry Truman would say "Action this day". Hon Gerry Brownlee: Does the Prime Minister accept that notwithstanding that interesting time line the bit that's missing is when the shovel-ready projects full list with their implementation dates will be announced and will she commit to releasing that list with those details today? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again on behalf of the Prime Minister it is sometimes difficult to grasp when you haven't got a commercial background or have never been involved in business but this is how it happens. Someone in the local government or in the local area around the country in the far-flung regions as well has got an idea that essentially needs to be funded. These applications go in many ways by way of process all the way to the infrastructure group that's looking into them. When they have done all the fiscals and all the work and seen whether it's possible it's then that they announce the Government's preparedness backed up with money to put these projects in place. As for all the other questions about shovel-readiness I do not follow the member's questions because they have no sense of understanding in terms of what the commercial practice of this country is. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well I thank the Prime Minister for that answer and I ask her: will she be talking to the Rt Hon Winston Peters to perhaps give him some of her commercial knowledge on how these things work so that he won't go round saying statements like "I have the list the whole lot—why they are not telling you I don't know. But I'm going back to find out."? How can you tender if you don't know? If there is a commercial reason why that's a load of rubbish the Prime Minister should just tell the Rt Hon Winston Peters. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister because of the way the questioner put the question she suggested that somehow she didn't know about the tenders when at that point in time what she wanted to intimate to the Deputy Prime Minister was "No Deputy Prime Minister you don't have a tin ear. How can I become a part of the process?" and I answered her."