2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterTODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. TODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Is she confident her Government has the systems in place and the competence required to increase the number of people in jobs and grow the economy through infrastructure investment? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. As a Government we are focused on creating jobs and growing the economy through a number of avenues not just infrastructure. We're making law changes to speed up planning processes investing in apprenticeships opening up international markets through trade supporting the agricultural sector to create clean green food to sell to the rest of the world and investing in research and development amongst many other initiatives. Todd Muller: Why almost six months since her finance Minister announced a $12 billion New Zealand upgrade infrastructure programme to—and I quote—increase the size of the economy" do recent answers to written questions show only $11 million has been spent on transport projects? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I'm happy to give an update on the transport projects again which were only announced in—if my recollection is correct—February. They include State Highway 58 where the New Zealand Transport Agency is in negotiations with builders there on stage two. That's expected to be up and running in August. They're opening registrations of interest for the Tauranga Northern Link Penlink and the State Highway 1 Papakura to Drury South. They're working with two short-listed parties on who will deliver the shared pathway across the Auckland Harbour Bridge and geotechnical testing is already under way for Ōtaki to north of Levin to assist with the design process. If the member wants to ask about projects beyond transport I'm happy also to give him an update on our investment in the regions the clean-powered public service and school infrastructure investment which is all under way as well. Todd Muller: How many of the 11 shovel-ready projects that she announced yesterday will have spades in the ground by the election? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I think the important point here is that we are reducing down the time—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! The Prime Minister is a very small distance away from me and I can't hear her. Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: We have reduced down the potential delays in those projects—which sometimes could delay completion by up to one to two years—to something in the order of potentially 70 days. I would have thought that the member would support the fact that those 11 projects will be expedited. They still do need to go through a process so whilst I won't give a start date they will be considerably reduced than what they otherwise might be. Hon Chris Hipkins: Is she confident that those projects she just mentioned will start faster than the Pūhoi to Wellsford roading project which took seven years between announcement and work actually getting under way? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Actually it wasn't just the Pūhoi to Wellsford; under the last Government the Auckland western ring route took four years from the time it was announced till the time it started; the Wellington Northern Corridor—again—four years from announcement to the start; Christchurch motorway projects seven years from the time they were announced to the time they started. I'm proud not only of the significant investment we have made but also the fact that we are cracking on with infrastructure projects—not just roads but health and education—that will make a difference to New Zealanders' jobs and lives. Todd Muller: So is the Prime Minister saying that despite being announced yesterday as shovel-ready there will be no projects with spades in the ground come the election? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No. I did not say that. [Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! I'm not sure which member it was but just keep me out of it. Todd Muller: I repeat to the Prime Minister: how many of the 11 shovel-ready projects that she announced yesterday will have spades in the ground by the election? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: For some of those projects—for instance those that are dealing with significant water shortages—it will enable earthworks to start in a matter of months if it passes through the process. Again I would point out to the member that this is on top of the New Zealand upgrade investment. It is on top of the most significant investment in infrastructure: $45 billion over a forecast period. This is on top of the $3 billion that we have said we'll put in through the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund and it is on top of what the last Government failed to do which was invest in infrastructure. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Do any of these transport projects include the following three in an advertisement up North this week: moving the Auckland port to Northport a floating dock at Marsden Point and moving the New Zealand Navy to Marsden Point—all claimed by Shane Reti in an advertisement this week in Northland? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Obviously if the member wishes to float ideas amongst his team he is welcome to do that. Todd Muller: So when Phil Twyford announced "Unitec deal marks major KiwiBuild milestone" 813 days ago on 25 March 2018 should the public have expected the development to have started by now rather than be added to her reheated list of 11 shovel-ready projects yesterday? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member well knows that any housing project would usually go through a significant Resource Management Act process. What the Government has announced is a shortening of that considerably. And while we're on housing I'm happy of course to again announce in this opportunity that we are now up to 4670 public housing places under this Government—and that is under usual processes—and it is well over our expectation then of delivering 6403 and again we've announced another 8000 houses as part of our COVID recovery and response which will generate up to 4000 jobs. Todd Muller: Why should New Zealanders believe in her Government's ability to deliver jobs and grow the economy through infrastructure when despite promising to finish the Auckland light rail in 2021 the project has no plan delivery partner business case costing consents or route? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Because under this Government we got unemployment to the lowest in a decade; because under this Government we have started work on Penlink State Highway 1 Papakura to Drury South Northern Pathway Tauranga Northern Link and State Highway 58; and because under this Government we have started work on 200 full or partial school rebuilds. We have already initiated 1283 approved projects under the New Zealand Upgrade Programme for schools which was only announced in February. They'll know that because we are already undertaking the projects we announced and getting things cracking to generate jobs for New Zealanders. Todd Muller: If her Government is competent to get people into jobs and grow the economy why has it only built 395 of the 10000 KiwiBuild homes it promised to deliver by 2021? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I welcome the chance to point out that we have built more houses than any Government including that member's—including that member's—since the 1970s: 4670 public housing places; another 8000 funded by this Government. That will generate 4000 jobs and homes for Kiwis. We inherited a housing crisis; we are getting on with fixing it. Hon Dr Megan Woods: Is the Prime Minister aware that our 395 KiwiBuild houses built over this term in addition to the 700-odd that are under construction far outstrips what the previous Government achieved in terms of 104 affordable houses over nine years in Government? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: A hundred—roughly—houses is exactly why we inherited a housing crisis. We have built more houses as a Government than any Government since the 1970s and we stand proudly on that record. Todd Muller: To the Prime Minister—Hon Shane Jones: Lazy Opposition. Todd Muller: —when she said—SPEAKER: Order! Order! No it's no good looking behind. The member will stand withdraw and apologise—blatant and stupid. Hon Shane Jones: I withdraw and apologise. Todd Muller: To the Prime Minister when she said 559 days ago that the Government's $100 million Green Investment Fund would bring "cash and know-how to the table to partner with business to develop a clean green future for everyone." would she have expected the fund to have made an investment by now? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Oh stay tuned. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Prime Minister with respect to the four-lane highway from Warkworth all the way to Whangārei did she inherit a situation where the National Party had already committed to doing that—Hon Gerry Brownlee: No not a legitimate question. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well how would you know? How would you know eh? SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member—Rt Hon Winston Peters: The least-qualified guy in this Parliament—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. Mr Brownlee you know that there's only one person who makes that decision and it's not you and you certainly don't do it from there and you certainly don't do it when the question's being asked. I'm going to ask Mr Peters to start his question again. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Prime Minister with respect to the four-lane highway between Warkworth and Whangārei did she and her Government inherit a committed plan from the previous Government to do that or a plan that says that they're now committed to it—as was in the advertisement this week from one Shane Reti? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: For the most part on these projects we inherited press releases. Todd Muller: Is it not a fact that when it comes to growing the economy the hallmark of her Government has been a complete failure to deliver and her team simply doesn't have the acumen to plan build and drive this country forward? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No."