6. Question No. 6—FinanceNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 6—Finance6. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement about the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund that The Fund is not there to be used for any old project in the never-never. It is to provide support and stimulus to recover and rebuild from COVID-19"; if so does he support the draw-down and redirection of $72.3 million to help cover unfunded Department of Internal Affairs three waters work?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): In answer to the first question which is with regards to a statement I made in July 2020 yes. To the second part of the question the member is incorrect in her description of the funding. In July 2020 a tagged contingency of $710 million was established for three waters infrastructure and investment and a service delivery reform programme within the COVID response and recovery fund—this included provision for policy work on the programme. In April 2022 when that 2020 tagged contingency was coming to an end $72 million was allocated to programme costs. I would note at the same time $12.4 million was returned to the centre.Nicola Willis: Does the Minister recall a Cabinet paper seeking agreement to reallocate $72 million of the unallocated portion of the three waters infrastructure investment programme for policy advice and can he advise the House how spending $21 million of taxpayers' money on three waters policy advice and communications activity helps the New Zealand economy recover from COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As we've discussed several times in this House the member knows that the COVID response and recovery fund was designed to make sure that New Zealand could respond to COVID and recover from COVID. Part of that is making sure that we stimulate economic development in the regions. That includes I might say through the three waters programme 291 kilometres of drinking-water pipes 159 kilometres of waste-water pipes and 128 upgrades to waste-water treatment plants all over New Zealand. The three waters programme overall will contribute to a significant number of jobs being created in New Zealand—something I know the National Party has difficulty with.Nicola Willis: How does spending $14.6 million of taxpayer money on supporting iwi Māori to participate "in the three waters service delivery system" help the New Zealand economy recover from COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I've just said in my previous answer the three waters reform programme is part of economic development right across New Zealand. I appreciate that the National Party doesn't want iwi and Māori to participate in the New Zealand economy but on this side of the House we think that's a good idea.Nicola Willis: Why did he take $3.6 million from the COVID fund and spend it on the Future of Local Government Review and is this what he thinks New Zealanders expected would most help the recovery of the economy from COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I think most New Zealanders expected would happen in terms of the recovery from COVID was that the Government would spend around $26 billion supporting employers to be able to keep their staff on around $13 billion supporting small businesses with low-cost loans around $10 billion for the health sector to be able to respond to COVID around $5 billion for business and science and innovation support around $4.7 billion to support people in housing around $2.85 billion to support the education sector around $1.85 billion to support the transport sector to keep going. The vast bulk of the COVID-19 fund was spent directly on things related to recovery; some was spent on response. The member has many colleagues who asked us to spend a lot more money in COVID on other things. Nicola Willis: Does he think it's prudent for the Government to be spending $2.1 million on a swanky Freemans Bay office for the hundreds of consultants and staff hired to work on three waters reforms and could he tell the House whether this will also help with recovery from COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I know that the National Party think that if a difficult problem comes along the answer is to kick the can down the road: not deal with the massive rate increases that New Zealanders will have if we don't solve three waters; not worry whether people have good quality drinking water; not worry whether our waste systems work. It's all in the power of the National Party to say "We're going to kick that problem down the road." We're facing up to it; we're making sure those reforms happen so New Zealanders don't have to pay so much for their rates for their water. National might not care about that; we do.Nicola Willis: Does he recall stating in relation to the COVID fund that "We are sticking to our word on this. We are investing money where it is needed to respond to COVID-19." and does he recall whether when he said those words he was anticipating dipping in to the COVID fund so he could avoid public scrutiny for throwing yet more taxpayer money at his unpopular three waters reforms?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I stand by the record of this Government of getting New Zealand through COVID of saving lives and saving livelihoods. The fact that we spent $26 billion supporting New Zealand businesses has helped New Zealand have an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent. The fact that we spent that money supporting small businesses means that they didn't go out of business. The member might not like it but the Government's record on getting New Zealand through COVID is an excellent one that all New Zealanders should be proud of."