5. Question No. 5—FinanceHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all of his statements policies and actions in relation to the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Yes in the context that they were given and undertaken. I particularly stand by the Government's actions that have led to unemployment falling to an 11-year low. I also stand by my statements thanking the member for his endorsement of our debt target if not his leader's.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Of the $17 billion he said yesterday that his Government would invest in transport in the next five years how much will be invested in the next two years? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There is a longstanding tradition in this House that when questions as general as the primary one are asked it is not always possible to be able to have the information available for supplementaries as detailed as that. I suggest that the member put that question down to the Minister of Transport. What I do know is that if one had an economic strategy that said that there would be no regional fuel tax and no further increases to fuel excise duty it wouldn't be possible to fund many highways at all.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he agree with Infometrics economist Brad Olsen who said that the transport spending or lack of it is a brake on the economy"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No. What I believe is that having $17 billion worth of funding for transport is actually going to really enhance our economy. What we are focused on is making sure that we've got transport strategies and transport funding that funds roads rail and other forms of transport—cycling walking—and actually getting some balance into making sure the regions of New Zealand benefit not just big four-lane highways by cities.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Has Treasury's advice about the construction industry saying "The industry has identified that the biggest challenge currently facing it is the lack of certainty and transparency regarding what infrastructure projects the Government as its biggest client is committed to and/or has under consideration particularly in the short term."?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I've seen a number of different views from the construction industry. The biggest issue that is raised with me that is holding back business in general including the construction industry is access to skilled staff—the legacy left to this Government by the previous Government of failing to support the training of New Zealanders. We're getting on with addressing that through a range of programmes including Mana in Mahi fees-free and more.Hon Paul Goldsmith: So does he accept his own Government's responsibility for that—again following Treasury's advice that "Skilled people are leaving New Zealand for more certain projects overseas" in the infrastructure space? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House we have established the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission/Te Waihanga to actually give the pipeline the construction industry wanted which the members opposite failed to do over nine years. We've set up the construction accord with the construction industry to make sure that we actually get on with finding those staff. It is a complete fiction to believe that saying you're going to build a road—claiming standing in the middle of the field that you're going to do it—actually is doing that. They were ghost roads Mr Bridges.Hon Chris Hipkins: Has the Minister of Finance seen any examples of significant infrastructure projects being announced and then taking more than seven years to actually commence?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Yes indeed. In fact I heard that example from the Minister yesterday acting on behalf of another Minister. I've also seen examples where the one road that was actually funded the East-West Link was going to be $327 million a kilometre—the most expensive road in the world. That's the only one they could come up with; the rest were ghost roads.Hon Simon Bridges: How can he say the rest were ghost roads when projects like Whangarei to Northport a half-billion-dollar road and when the Tauranga Northern Link a half-billion-dollar road were entirely consented were through the approval process of the New Zealand Transport Agency and were pulled halfway through commercial tenders and that's why they're not happening?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The evidence I've seen is that these were ghost roads. Now the member might want to think he did all of that the member might want to claim he did all of that but the truth is he didn't do the job.Hon Simon Bridges: Is he not listening to the contrary evidence?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I do know that the member is contrary yes.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Has he asked for or received any advice on the potential costs to the Government and through it New Zealanders of reopening full and final Treaty settlements?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I haven't got that advice in any form whatsoever because it's not happening."