5. Question No. 5—InfrastructureANDREW BAYLY (National—Port Waikato) to the Minister for InfrastructureQuestion No. 5—Infrastructure5. ANDREW BAYLY (National—Port Waikato) to the Minister for Infrastructure: Does he stand by his statement from 24 June 2020 that an objective of the shovel-ready projects was for construction activity to be underway within the next 12 months"; if so how many shovel-ready projects if any have not yet begun construction?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister for Infrastructure): I stand by the full Cabinet paper from June last year which this statement comes from in its full context. That context includes of course the fact that the economic situation and construction market are very different now from what they were when that criteria was set in April 2020. As the member knows in July 2020 Cabinet confirmed that it is a condition of Infrastructure Reference Group (IRG) funding that projects must start within 12 months of a funding contract being signed. This means that each IRG project has its own must-start date as a result of contracting at different times. In answer to the second part of the question I'm advised that as at 30 September the most recent numbers available of the 234 IRG projects 49 had not had construction start but only nine of those are at risk of not meeting the 12-month deadline.Andrew Bayly: What is his definition of a shovel-ready project if 40 percent of projects had not yet started construction after the 12-month period?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: That's not actually what I said in my answer. I said that there were 49 of 234 of which nine won't meet the contract date of 12 months from there. As I said in my primary answer the construction environment is very different and I think most of the communities around New Zealand where these projects are happening are very very pleased that there is a Government that supports them.Andrew Bayly: If the point of the shovel-ready projects was to stimulate the economy as a result of COVID what is the purpose of these projects now that we have labour shortages and an over-heated construction industry?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well the member needs to make his mind up. Either we're going too fast as his earlier question said or now we're going too slow. What I do know is these are projects that are incredibly important to the communities that they're in. There is a very tight labour market and very tight construction market as he points out. That has slowed some projects down. They remain valuable and important projects that I might say many of his colleagues are strong advocates for.Hon Chris Hipkins: Is he proud of the fact that he's now being criticised for doing too good a job of managing the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I will accept any form of criticism from the Opposition and any form of praise from the member.Andrew Bayly: How many of the shovel-ready projects have been completed?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I believe on the latest advice around 30 have been completed. The remaining projects are under construction and again the member needs to decide which it is that he has a problem with. Are we going too fast or are we going too slow? Which is it Mr Bayly?SPEAKER: Order! I just make it clear to the Minister for Infrastructure that he answers not asks the questions.Andrew Bayly: Has he asked the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the implementation unit to help him deliver on these so-called shovel-ready projects?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I know that the member asked me that exact same question on 12 May and the answer is the same that when the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure meet it is a true meeting of minds."