Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bennett David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:673;Page:19588] 
2. 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister for Infrastructure 
: What progress is the Government making on its infrastructure investment programme? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister for Infrastructure) 
: 
 It is making very good progress. The Government laid out a programme 2½ years ago and despite the fact of the recession and significant Government deficits we have actually held our capital spending and increased investment in infrastructure because we believe that in the long run investment in productive infrastructure will help our export sector to be more competitive and will therefore help to rebalance this economy. In addition to this spending we have changed the rules on consenting for infrastructure projects so that they can occur much more quickly than in the past. 
David Bennett 
: How has the Government’s infrastructure programme supported jobs? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: One of the benefits of this long-term investment in infrastructure happened to be that during the recession when we were ramping up the programme the Government’s infrastructure spend directly supported thousands of jobs across New Zealand in the construction sector which as we know was hit very hard both by the New Zealand recession and then by the effects of the global recession. A very significant proportion of all non-residential building in New Zealand has been funded over the last 2 or 3 years as part of the Government infrastructure investment programme. 
David Bennett 
: What are the Government’s infrastructure spending plans for the next 5 years? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: It is just more good news. We expect to invest heavily in what is now a clearly defined pipeline of work. Over the next 5 years we will invest $750 million in KiwiRail for new wagons locomotives and other projects to increase productivity and $5.4 billion in new State highways which will mean the start of construction of the Waterview Connection four more sections of the Waikato Expressway and the MacKays Crossing to Peka Peka Road part of State Highway 1. We will be spending $3.9 billion on upgrading the national electricity grid and spending $7 billion on State housing schools hospitals and the prison system. Of course there is also the investment of at least $1.5 billion in the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband for which the final commercial arrangements have been put in place in just the last few weeks. Parliament will pass that legislation hopefully in the next few weeks. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: How does the Government intend to attract private capital to boost New Zealand’s infrastructure base? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The Government has taken a careful and considerate approach to introducing public-private partnerships being one of the few developed countries in the world that has not had those in place in the last 10 years. We have learnt from others and we are making cautious progress in that respect. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: Would he describe the comment made by the Hon Trevor Mallard regarding broadband infrastructure investment that “Anyone entering into an arrangement based on this legislation has got to know that it may not last” as being wanton economic thuggery that would scare away private infrastructure investment and turn New Zealand into a banana republic; if not how would he describe it? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Although that is something that I might like to frame and send to my Labour electorate committee I think asking the Minister of Finance to have responsibility for my comment is going a little bit far. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not need to hear further on the matter. The Minister certainly does not have responsibility for the honourable member’s comment but Ministers can be asked their opinions on all sorts of things. As long as the Minister is somewhat careful in answering it I am prepared to allow the question but certainly the Minister has no responsibility for that comment. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I do not think the member had finished. It was such a good quote I would like— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the member had finished. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I think it is more bark than bite because firstly no New Zealand Government would act illegally and it would comply with the contract; secondly that comment is reckless; and thirdly I will work very hard over the next few months to make sure that the election of 2011 makes that comment irrelevant. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: If his stated aim of infrastructure investment is to boost our economy through streamlining private sector exports then why are poorly maintained rural roads being ripped up by milk tankers while his Associate Minister for Infrastructure Steven Joyce squanders $1.8 billion on the Holiday Highway which has a benefit-cost ratio of just 80c in the dollar? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I am most impressed with this newfound sympathy of the Labour Party for the farming community but those members need to sort out their strategy because last week they were kicking farmers in the slats and today they are trying to hug them. As someone who lives on one of those poorly maintained rural roads I say that the Government has done a very good job of working with local government to make sure the rural infrastructure can support the very successful export efforts of our rural sector. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Can he confirm that land transport funding will be reallocated later this year by the new Government policy statement with more money being taken out of road safety maintenance and public transport and instead being funnelled into four new so-called roads of national significance which will presumably have even worse benefit-cost ratios than the road from Puhoi to Wellsford? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: No I cannot confirm that. I can confirm that the process of allocation is arm’s length and very focused on productivity so much so that the most recent tar-sealing programme in Dipton actually stops at the end of English Road. We have the same gravel road that we have had for 100 years. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The members’ colleague has called for a point of order. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just ask whether the Minister might repeat his answer. It was very difficult to hear and I am an “English patient”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I think the member heard the answer perfectly well.