4. Question No. 4—Economic DevelopmentHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Economic DevelopmentQuestion No. 4—Economic Development4. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Economic Development: What is his Government's economic development strategy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Minister for Economic Development): On behalf of the Minister for Economic Development being aware of the way the Minister of Finance's question was curtailed yesterday I will keep this brief. The economic strategy that the Government has is to grow and share New Zealand's prosperity more fairly support thriving and sustainable regions govern responsibly and develop broader measures of success and transition to a clean green carbon-neutral New Zealand. We want equality of opportunity and more equal outcomes no matter who you are or where you live. We aim to diversify our export base turning volume into value and I note that exports as a percentage of GDP have risen from 26.8 percent to 28.8 percent in contrast to the last Government. We also have a focus on a just transition to a low-carbon economy meeting the future of work with confidence building better and greater infrastructure and improving the institutions that underpin economic development.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does it concern him that this is the fourth time I've asked this question and that is the fourth different answer I've received; and if so is he surprised that everyone is confused as to what the growth strategy is?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The economic development strategy of the Government is clear. The confused person in this case is the member asking the question.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Wouldn't a more accurate description of the Government's economic development strategy be spend more borrow more and hope for the best?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No. An accurate description is the one that I have given which has turned around our export performance which had consistently declined on trend under the last Government despite their big bold claims. This is a Government that is getting alongside industries and communities right around New Zealand to make sure that they grow sustainably through the Provincial Growth Fund and through the just transitions work we're doing. It's actually a model of active economic development not sitting on the sidelines hoping for the best as the previous Government did.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Why does he think his strategy is working when as the Reserve Bank Governor put it there has been a sharp decline" in the economy and new job creation has dried up?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister the Reserve Bank Governor went on to say that the fiscal strategy is helping the economy at the moment. It's helping because the Government is prepared to get alongside communities and invest. If the member had been at the Just Transition Summit in New Plymouth he would have seen a community that is now committed to the transition to a low-carbon economy that sees massive opportunities for new energy and for the creation of new jobs in that region. He should take a leaf out of the book of the people of Taranaki and get on board. Jonathan Young loved the summit. I saw him there.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the Foreign Minister saying that in much less than 18 months a 30 towards 25 percent—SPEAKER: Order! I'll just get the member to start the question again.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the finance Minister and economic development Minister saying that in less than 18 months the decline of exports from 30 percent down towards 25 percent—in that short time—has been turned around and that it's risen to 26.8 percent already?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In fact—I thank the member for the question—it's actually up to 28.8 percent from 26.8 percent. So it is moving in the right direction and most certainly the trend had been in the other direction under the previous Government. That was a result of a philosophical view that standing on the sidelines and hoping for the best is economic policy—SPEAKER: Order! That's enough—not responsible for it. Hon Paul Goldsmith: Whatever happened to the Business Partnership Agenda that was announced with great fanfare by the Prime Minister in August last year?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The programmes that are within the Business Partnership Agenda continue with one particular exception. That website which the National Party went looking for some ideas on has been updated since that time."