2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterHon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Hon MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Prime Minister): Yes I do and especially our announcement today that we will fund 1500 more social housing places from community housing providers. The track record from the last Labour-Greens Government was abysmal: billions of dollars spent only to peddle misery with more children growing up in motels and sleeping in cars. We have a comprehensive strategy to fix that mess. We're fixing the rental market we're fixing Kāinga Ora and we're funding more places for community housing providers so that Kiwi kids can grow up in a house not a motel.Hon Marama Davidson: Does the Prime Minister agree with the Ombudsman on the Fast-track Approvals Bill that When you get a bill like this that creates enormous executive power there is ever more need to have a check and a balance unless it's matched by oversight and accountability. I think democracy itself is the loser."Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well what I'd say to that member and we've had this conversation many times before is that we need modern reliable infrastructure in New Zealand. That is how we will make this country more prosperous. We need to get things done and that means cutting through the red and green tape that's getting in the way it means making sure that we take David Parker's inspired thinking around a fast-track law and we build it out so that we can get things done. And so I just say to the member we welcome the Greens' support so that we can get renewable energy projects built quicker.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he stand by the statement made on behalf of the Minister responsible for RMA Reform on 9 May that "within the Fast-track Approvals Bill you see various protections for taiao"; if so what are these protections?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: What I'd say to the member is the bill is before a select committee. You've heard the infrastructure Minister say himself that he is open to sensible suggestions to improve it. We are going through that process we will digest that feedback and we'll take that on board.Hon Marama Davidson: Does he agree with the Taxpayers' Union who said that "The Bill places the decision-making authority with the joint Ministers. This places them at the centre of major investment decisions. Effectively the Bill asks politicians to pick winners. This is never a good arrangement."; if so will he commit to removing Ministers as the decision makers?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I don't know how to be any clearer: the bill is before a select committee; the infrastructure Minister has said himself that he's open to sensible suggestions. What I would say is we have proposed an independent expert panel that will judge conditions including the environment including social benefits and economic benefits the whole lot and we've actually proposed that in the select committee. If you've got thoughts about it make those points now. But the big point is this: we are going to stop the talking and we are going to get things done in this country. I make no apologies for that; it's what the people of New Zealand expect us to do. It's what we're expected to do if we're going to deliver on our climate change goals—we need to get things done and built. And I'd just say to the member again please support the bill. If you care about the environment if you care about climate change you'd back our fast-track legislation.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Will the Prime Minister undertake here and now to have regard to all the comments on the 17 precedented fast-track projects of the last Government when he's considering the fast-track process in this Government—remember what the Greens said back then—and will he have regard to it when he's going forward?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I thank the member because again it was inspired thinking from David Parker who invented a fast-track process. We've taken that we've put it on steroids so that we can get things built.Hon Marama Davidson: Will he in light of his request for the Green Party's support commit to no new coal mines not reopening oil and gas drilling protecting the conservation estate from mining and no extinction of native species through his Fast-track Approvals Bill?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: Well I just say to the member: on this side in this Government we are deeply committed to delivering on our climate change goals and commitments. But again what we saw and what you—in the discussion that we had last week—[Interruption] would you like me to complete?—what we saw was that we actually have some energy security risk in this country. Why? Because there was a banning of an oil and gas ban from the Labour-Greens. There was no follow up plan to it. It was a bunch of bumper stickers headlines and Post-it notes and actually what was needed is we need gas as a transitory energy source so we can keep our energy security in place.SPEAKER: The House is extremely lively today. I just ask people to think just before they sort of get into some barracking about exactly the value to the public that barracking is. Hon Marama Davidson: Does he stand by his statement on 8 May "support our reversal of the oil and gas ban support our fast-track legislation and let's go get renewable energy built in this country." and if so is he confused about the difference between oil and gas and renewable energy?Rt Hon CHRISTOPHER LUXON: I absolutely stand by that statement and just continue to encourage the Greens to support us."