8. Question No. 8—State Owned EnterprisesMARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Minister for State Owned EnterprisesQuestion No. 8—State Owned Enterprises8. MARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: What actions if any is KiwiRail taking to maintain and improve the North Auckland Line?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister for State Owned Enterprises): The member should be commended for his question because the answer has positive and profound implications for the good people of Northland. As part of the $94.8 million to be invested in that line this week we saw remediation on tunnel 2 reach 90 percent completion and it will be completed by the end of this month. The investment in railways is one new source of employment for locals and KiwiRail has briefed Northland firms to discuss planned work and is aiming towards design contracts in early December using local people and local resources wherever possible.Mark Patterson: What economic benefits will these actions have?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: To use a biblical term the economic benefits will be legion. The maintenance of the line will allow many of the speed restrictions to be lifted. Our railways in Northland will be faster more efficient and more cost-effective. It will make freight services more timely and reliable setting the conditions to make rail more competitive and allow KiwiRail to grow its freight business. Use it they will if they don't have interfering nobodies trying to stop the service—and interfering nobodies are no longer representing Northland in that respect. This will enhance Northland's productivity—Chris Bishop: Who's the MP for Northland?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: —and free up space on the roads. Trucks have congested Northland's roads and highways because for decades the investment in rail has been neglected. And as to who is Northland's MP well he's the person being threatened by Paula Bennett. You got that? He's the person that's being threatened by Paula Bennett.Mark Patterson: How will KiwiRail's actions specifically help Northland?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Very good question. Northland stands not only to gain from the improved infrastructure that this investment brings but related economic benefits that will flow to local people and business. Hon Paula Bennett: Is he feeling threatened by it?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: KiwiRail has promised that whenever possible—no I don't feel threatened; I've never felt so good in my life. I mean if I was in a party that has been polling at 47 percent and the best I can do is 9 percent I'd give up. Whenever possible KiwiRail will be sourcing materials within Northland and consequently Government investment—[Interruption] Don't worry you'll be trying to get on my side very shortly. It always happens. Consequently Government investment will be flowing directly into the region. For too long our regional centres have missed out while investment has been poured into a few big city centres. It's going to be a long journey back for rail in Northland but we've started that journey and intend to complete it.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Sorry I didn't want to interrupt the member while he was speaking but I couldn't understand him before and I was wondering if he could repeat it because he was—SPEAKER: Well certainly—the member will resume her seat—any point of order that starts off with I don't understand" in relation to an answer—Hon Paula Bennett: I couldn't hear him.SPEAKER: Well I'm not going to ask the member to repeat it but I am going to warn Mr King that he should not use in this House the sort of gestures which the All Blacks when the Wainuiōmata boy Piri Weepu was leading the haka use with regard either to myself or the member on his feet.Mark Patterson: Is Northland the only region to benefit from KiwiRail's maintenance improvements of its lines?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Happily Northland is far from the only region to benefit from KiwiRail's good work getting New Zealand railways back on track. [Interruption] Name one? I'll name just three for a start: $331 million investment in existing facilities $375 million towards replacing 50-year-old South Island locomotives and container wagons and $35 million to progress procurement of two new rail-enabled ferries to improve connection between the North Island and South Island. That's part of an over $1 billion investment—just to name three."