O'Rourke Denis: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
O'Rourke Denis: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 13 February 2013. Volume:687;Page:7783. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
5. 
DENIS O’ROURKE (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister for Economic Development 
: What progress if any has the Government made in the area of regional development? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 The Government is investing heavily in regional development across New Zealand. After all the national economy is the aggregation of the economies of all the regions in the country. I have just a few examples for the member. We are rolling out ultra-fast broadband to connect fibre-optic technology to schools hospitals and 90 percent of businesses by 2015 and also the Rural Broadband Initiative. We are encouraging the development of New Zealand’s resource wealth which follows of course the successful oil and gas industry model in Taranaki where 5000 people are employed and it contributes $2 billion to our GDP. We are investing massively in our State highway network which links all our regions together. That includes of course the roads of national significance which link the regions to our main centres. These are just some examples of the programmes that are contributing to regional development in this country. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: How is regional economic performance in New Zealand being measured given that there is no official measure? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I think the member raises a fair point actually. The regional GDP statistics have not been prepared for many years so you will be pleased to learn that that is exactly what is happening at this time. Later this year we will have not actually GDP statistics but regional equivalents to GDP statistics which will be helpful to the member—and I think to all members of the House—in terms of regional development. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Does the Minister receive regular ongoing reports regarding the economy of each region; if so which regions are underperforming? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: As I said to the member the actual measures of regional GDP will be available later this year but actually you can get all sorts of indicators of which regions are going well and which are not. Obviously the employment ones are an example. I can report to the member for example that the South Island and all the regions in the South Island are doing very well in the employment situation at the moment. That is obviously being driven partially by the Christchurch rebuild but also by the health of the various economies in the South Island. The standout is always Taranaki where they have very very strong economic performance. Some of the regions are struggling. You would have to say Manawatu and Wanganui would be in that category; Northland would be another. And of course the Psa in the Bay of Plenty has really knocked that regional economy as well. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Why did the Government allocate less than $5 million in the current year to regional-specific projects compared with a massive $50 million in Hollywood film subsidies which Treasury says have no economic benefit? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Actually the Government spends massive amounts in each region. Just to give you some examples: things such as schools and hospitals which are very important for regional infrastructure; the roading system— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: No no no. 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: —yes—and the broadband system. And different regions have different industries that the Government supports. For example the film industry which the member mentioned is very important in the Wellington region. There are other industries that are very important in other regions. The Government has just for example indicated that it is going to invest in irrigation projects that will be very important in the eastern regions of the country. So it is very much a matter of horses for courses depending on what the regions need. The Government spends around $70 billion - odd a year around New Zealand and much of that goes into our regions. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question asked why the Government had allocated less than $5 million to specific regional projects and that question has not been answered. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It has been answered to my satisfaction. The Minister went on to say that there are a number of very expensive programmes of which a lot of money was obviously spent in the regions. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A new point of order? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Yes. My point of order is that your ruling is totally refuted by the last Budget which— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I am on my feet. [ 
Interruption 
] I am on my feet and the member will resume his seat. I have ruled that that question was satisfactorily answered. The Minister made a genuine effort to answer the question saying that there are a number of initiatives where the Government is spending money that is clearly spent within the regions. In my mind that question was answered quite satisfactorily and if the member continues to relitigate my answer that will bring this House into disorder and disrepute. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: A fresh point of order? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: A fresh point of order. My point of order is this: we are required to base questions on certain evidence and that evidence came from the last Budget. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Look excuse me when he uses the particular words “regional-specific” that is a budgetary term. To go outside regional-specific to use “regional-general” as the Minister has done gives my colleague grounds for legitimate complaint; otherwise sound budgetary processes mean nothing in this Parliament. That is my point. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for his assistance and I accept that the member raised a genuine point of order. I considered his point of order and I am absolutely satisfied with the quality of the answer given by the Minister. There is no way that any member can accept an answer by design and provided that the Minister has addressed the question to my satisfaction I accept that that is satisfactory. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Will the Minister consider New Zealand First’s proposal for a regional royalties scheme which would see almost $100 million a year go to regional development given that it has been endorsed by Local Government New Zealand; if not why not? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: Firstly that is actually probably a question best directed to the Minister of Energy and Resources but my having said that in terms of economic development we actually invest as I said before a massive amount in each region. The real benefits for the regions from for example resources—and I think that is what the member refers to in terms of royalties—are the jobs and growth that are created within those regions. If you take Taranaki for example it has a fantastic record of high-value jobs both in the oil and gas industry and in downstream industries. That has been fantastic for that region and every quarter when the unemployment statistics come out one is reminded of that. So my point to the local government people would be to focus on attracting investment to their regions for the obvious benefits that it brings especially the jobs because that is the real benefit. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The question was whether the Minister would consider a proposal for a regional royalties scheme. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: And the answer given was that that question was more appropriate for the Minister of Energy and Resources. The question is answered. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister agreed to answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: And did give a fulsome answer. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Therefore an answer saying it was more appropriate for it to be answered by another Minister is not an answer to the question. If he is going to agree to answer— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I have ruled that the question was answered satisfactorily. That is the end of that matter. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is this a fresh point of order? Otherwise the member is trifling with the Chair. Is it a fresh point of order? 
Denis O’Rourke 
: The point of order is that one Minister or another needs to answer my question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have given the member every opportunity. That question has been answered to my satisfaction. If the member continues to raise points of order he will bring this House into disorder and that is a very serious matter which I will address. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Mr Speaker— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am sorry: is it a point of order or a supplementary question? 
Denis O’Rourke 
: It is a supplementary question and it is to the Minister who I hope will answer the question and it is— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Just ask the supplementary question. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Why has no appointment been made of a Minister for regional development? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Can the member repeat that. It is a difficult day when we have not got good microphones. Can the member please repeat the question and can I ask the rest of the House to give silence while the question is being asked. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Thank you Mr Speaker. I addressed the supplementary question to the Minister and expressed a hope that he would actually answer it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Well just ask it. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Why has no appointment been made of a Minister for regional development? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I realise I probably do not want to say this at this point but that is actually not a responsibility of mine either. That is actually a responsibility of the Prime Minister in terms of allocating portfolios obviously. But actually we do have a responsibility for regional development it forms part of the economic development portfolio and I have answered those questions for the member this afternoon. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: If resources are the lifeblood of the regions what will the Minister say to the hundreds of miners who are likely to lose their jobs with strong rumours of the impending receivership of Buller mining operations? 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: What? Didn’t hear the last bit. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: Well if you listened instead of talking you might hear. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member will repeat his question without embellishment; otherwise he will lose it. 
Hon Damien O’Connor 
: If resources are the champion of regional development—which I agree with—what will the Minister say to the hundreds of miners who are likely to lose their jobs with strong rumours of receivership of Buller mining operations? 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE 
: I literally do not know the example the member refers to but I would point out that the opportunities on the West Coast which the member is obviously interested in are many and varied and one of the very significant opportunities down there is the Bathurst mine which the Government is having go through a process at the moment. The member will recall that I called on the Labour Party and the Green Party last year to support the Bathurst application and to ask their friends in the environmental movement to remove their objections. If they did so that would actually help the development of mining on the West Coast. I think the fact that the Labour Party was silent was demonstrative of the fact that it was not that interested.