12. Budget 2018—Funding for Christchurch RegenerationHon NICKY WAGNER (National) to the Minister for Greater Christchurch RegenerationBudget 2018—Funding for Christchurch Regeneration12. Hon NICKY WAGNER (National) to the Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration: Does she stand by all her answers to Oral Question No. 10 on 22 March?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration): Yes.Hon Nicky Wagner: Why do the people of Christchurch have to wait till Budget 2018 to see if their $300 million in promised funding is available when Shane Jones has already spent more than $61 million from the Provincial Growth Fund without going through the Budget process?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Governments spend money when money has been appropriated. The $300 million is a current Budget bid. The Minister of Finance in his wisdom will read that Budget on 17 May and whether or not that bid has been successful will be revealed then. I do note to the second part of the member's question that the provincial growth fund also requires appropriation.Hon Nicky Wagner: Why does Christchurch have to wait till Budget 2018 to see if their $300 million in promised funding is available when David Parker can spend $114 million in Auckland on the America's Cup without going through the Budget process?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: I do also note that the people of Christchurch have been waiting years for stalled anchor projects that the previous Government failed to deliver including that member who was the responsible Minister. In order for any of the money to be spent in the three areas that it was identified that it would be available for—that being the stadium the residential red zone and any remaining liabilities for the Crown in land drainage—the plans will not be drawn up before 17 May so the money could not even be spent. Hon Grant Robertson: Can the Minister explain what steps she is taking to secure funding for Christchurch in Budget 2018?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: I have prepared a Budget bid which I have presented to the very wise fair and reasonable Minister of Finance who is currently considering—SPEAKER: The member's lucky you are allowed irony in answers.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: —that bid alongside the other priorities of the Government. This is the way in which Governments appropriate money on which they can deliver on election promises.Hon Nicky Wagner: Why does Christchurch have to wait till Budget 2018 to see if their $300 million in promised funding is available when Phil Twyford can spend up to $117 million in Auckland to purchase land at Unitec without going through the Budget process?SPEAKER: And as a result of interjections from two Labour and one New Zealand First MP there will be three additional supplementaries to the National Party.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The money that my colleague the Minister of Housing and Urban Development has been able to spend although I do not have responsibility for what my colleague the Minister of Housing and Urban Development does—the money that he has been able to spend was able to be re-appropriated. I'd like to remind that member who was the former Minister she only left great big funding gaps not money that was waiting around that could be re-appropriated to fund the gaps in funding that that Government left for Canterbury.Hon Nicky Wagner: Why does Christchurch have to keep waiting?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: I'd like to thank that member for her Easter present. Christchurch has to keep waiting because for seven long years the previous Government let the people of Canterbury down. The Metro Sports Facility that should be open now and be able to be enjoyed by the people of Canterbury over Easter is one of many stalled and failed anchor projects. This Government is cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous Government including that member in her time as Minister.Hon James Shaw: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If you're going to admonish Mr Muller for patsy supplementary questions perhaps you could also admonish Nicky Wagner as well.SPEAKER: Well I think I was more admonishing the Minister for his reply.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well while we're handing around admonishments I accept the admonishment that the Hon Megan Woods just handed out but would ask the question: will the Metro Sports centre and the stadium receive Government funding in the 2017 Budget or are they lines in her Budget bid she expects to be rejected?SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat and the member might want to rephrase his question and get it into this year.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Yes I know. Sorry you're right Mr Speaker. So I'll ask the question again if I may?SPEAKER: Sure.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Will the Minister confirm that there will be funding in the 2018 Budget for the Metro Sports centre and the new stadium or are they two line items in her Budget bid she expects to be struck out?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The money for the Metro Sports centre is already there. What I have not been prepared to do is to keep throwing money into a stalled and overblown Budget process like the previous Government was prepared to do. The money is there and the Budget bid for the $300 million from which the stadium funding can be chosen to be drawn on by the Christchurch City Council as it decides is the subject of a Budget bid. I remind the former Minister that it is only a few more sleeps till we can hear Grant Robertson's verdict.Rt Hon Winston Peters: May I ask the Minister in answering these questions has she seen someone stand on a rake and have the handle hit them in the chin? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Yes. SPEAKER: Order! I'm trying to work out whether it would be a punishment to give—who it would be a punishment to if I gave further supplementaries. I think I'll just leave it where it is. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well I would certainly take them but I think it was—SPEAKER: Well the member can have another one then. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well thank you because it was very odd that the Rt Hon Winston Peters should stand up and talk about his own answers in the House today. SPEAKER: And—Hon Gerry Brownlee: We just lost it. SPEAKER: Yeah at that point—Hon Gerry Brownlee: I know yeah. SPEAKER: —the member just lost it. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Thank you. It was worth a shot. Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: Order! Order! And he just lost another one. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: No no the member's lost them all now. Hon Gerry Brownlee: What? No you gave us an extra three—SPEAKER: I did.Hon Gerry Brownlee: —and I've only used one.SPEAKER: And Nicky Wagner used one as well. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Oh well that's just outrageous. [Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! That concludes oral questions.