Korako Nuk: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKorako Nuk: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 23 September 2015. Volume:709;Page:6923. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]4.NUK KORAKO (National) to the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery: What is the estimated value of public sector construction completed and underway in Christchurch? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Is the Minister going to answer?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I was just reading a text that is advising me that the speakers in the Chamber are not working and that some people who are attempting to listen are not able to hear it at the present time so you might want to take that up with them.Mr SPEAKER: I thank the member. I will ask the technicians to have a look at that. Now could we have the answer to the question raised by Mr Nuk Korako.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Yes. The value of completed projects increased in the last quarter to $213 million up from $181 million in the March quarter. Since then the $53 million bus interchange has also been completed. The momentum is building as more projects move into construction. Projects now in construction total $3.3 billion. This is an increase of more than $700 million in the 6 months from December 2014. By the end of the year another $766 million worth of projects are forecast to begin construction which clearly demonstrates that the rebuild is progressing at pace but is not yet at its peak.Nuk Korako: What recent progress has been made on the completion of the central city anchor projects?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: As I mentioned as of last month the second and final stage of Christchurch’s new bus interchange is now complete and open to the public. This is the first of the central city anchor projects to be completed. This high-quality facility is very encouraging. It is using public transport at levels not seen in the city before.Hon Simon Bridges: Hear hear!Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: We are encouraging that which I know my colleague the Hon Simon Bridges is very very pleased about. The state of the art building is I think just an example of what Christchurch can expect more of in the years ahead.Nuk Korako: What progress has been made towards beginning construction on the Metro Sports Facility?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Cabinet has now agreed on the funding parameters that will ensure this multigenerational regional facility is built. The Government has already purchased most of the land and proposals are now being sought from engineering and design companies. Further tenders will be released in the coming months to enable that design and construction to begin. The centre will include high-performance sports diving facilities a competition-standard pool hot pools hydro slides and indoor courts. This will enable everyone from learners and leisure users to elite competitors to make use of the facility.Dr Megan Woods: In light of Peter Townsend’s concerns that delays to publicly funded anchor projects had caused investor uncertainty will he now guarantee completion dates or will the Government continue as councillor Raf Manji described it to drive with the handbrake on in terms of the recovery because of its election promise to return to surplus?Mr SPEAKER: Either of those two supplementary questions the Hon Gerry Brownlee.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Well look I know that Mr Townsend has been very very instrumental in ensuring that business interests in the city kept faith with the city and I think his efforts have been extremely important for the economic development that is currently going on in Christchurch and the expansion of our economy there. I also know that he has been very very engaged in the process moving forward and I am quite sure that he would agree that some of those early concerns are no longer as relevant as they might have once been. On the second part let us be clear that the Government has been working very closely with the Christchurch City Council toward transition and notwithstanding Mr Manji’s view of things given its own cash-strapped circumstance statements like that from the council are a little hollow.Mr SPEAKER: Before I call question no. 5 thanks to Mr Brownlee I have been informed that there is a fault in the sound system. An emergency system is now operating. It may mean for those watching TV the volume is slightly lower than normal.