12. Question No. 12—FinanceHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 12—Finance12. Hon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Finance: Will the investments the Government makes to create jobs in the short term also help resolve long-term challenges that impose costs on future generations such as the climate crisis and the affordability of housing?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The investments this Government is making as we position the economy to recover from COVID-19 will not only create jobs in the short term but over the medium and long term as well. That's because our plan is focusing on sustainable job creation across a range of industries. This Government is taking an intergenerational approach to how we decide what to invest in through our wellbeing approach and that will continue as we look to the challenges that lie ahead.Hon James Shaw: Does he agree with the World Bank's vice president for infrastructure Mr Makhtar Diop that boosting low-emissions transport through post-COVID investments will not only benefit the climate but also support long-term economic growth create quality jobs and connect more people to opportunity."?SPEAKER: Any one of those.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well I can agree with that and indeed irrespective of COVID-19. While the recovery from COVID-19 allows us to do a stocktake of how we go about what we do and how we do it I would stress that the Government is already ahead of the curve when it comes to these types of investments. For example the New Zealand Upgrade Programme announced at the end of January—it ensured that a number of unfunded ideas for transport projects were futureproofed into concrete plans by the current Government to take into account the need to allow all forms of transport including public transport walking and cycling.Hon James Shaw: Does he intend to incorporate advice from the Climate Change Commission into his post-COVID economic planning and if so how?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Yes indeed. A wide range of advice is needed for the Government to be able to come up with the plan that will support all New Zealanders through this and position us for recovery. I think in New Zealand we're extremely lucky to have a wide range of experts—both economically scientifically and otherwise—who can help us look to the future. And I've already seen Dr Rod Carr's comments in that regard.Hon James Shaw: Does he agree that as well as job creation and environmental benefits investing in renewable energy—like solar wind and geothermal—to electrify the vehicle fleet could also help our country not spend more than we earn overseas by reducing our approximately $5 billion to $6 billion annual bill for oil imports?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I believe the member is referring to balance of payments and I congratulate him for raising that particular topic in the House today. The Government is already encouraging greater use of renewable energy uptake of electric vehicles and other measures like greater investment in hydrogen to increase the use of renewable energy and that work will indeed continue. Reducing imports does help to improve our balance of payments but we shouldn't just stop there. New Zealand is in a strong position to build up our exports of products that are produced using renewable energy which would also help the balance of payments.SPEAKER: I should indicate to members that I have apologised to the Prime Minister for not calling her for her reply to the earlier debate. I apologise to the House for my error in that as well."