Peters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 03 November 2015. Volume:709;Page:7562. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Associate Minister of Education: Is she happy with the process to find a contractor for the Northland College rebuild; if so why?Hon HEKIA PARATA (Minister of Education) on behalf of theAssociate Minister of Education: Yes; because the procurement of the main contractor to undertake the rebuild follows well-established and transparent Government and ministry guidelines for procuring Government services. An open invitation to all organisations interested in undertaking the works was published on the Government Electronic Tender System GETS. All organisations that responded by the close of 28 October were assessed against the published criteria. A shortlist of organisations to proceed was chosen by a panel made up of external experts as well as ministry people. I am advised that the ministry expects to make a decision and award the contract by the end of November. I have brought along a copy of the tender document for the member’s information.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I was reading that before you left school. Of the Northland—[Interruption] Yes I was actually.Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member wants to ask his question just proceed to do so.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well I am going to do that. Of the Northland-based contractors that made expressions of interest how many were approved to the next stage?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I do not have that information because it is an operational matter and it would be inappropriate for a Minister to be intervening in it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: What hope is there for regional economic development when at least one major contractor in Northland was never contacted after making an expression of interest?Hon HEKIA PARATA: I have just outlined the process and I have advised the member and the House that no final decision has been made so I am not in a position to tell the member who is going to be appointed and whether or not they come from the local area or outside. But what I can tell the member is that this Government has invested $14 million—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked a precise question with regard to the effect on regional economic development—Mr SPEAKER: Order! But I will remind you that you are asking questions to the Associate Minister of Education.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I beg your pardon?Mr SPEAKER: The member is asking supplementary questions to the Associate Minister of Education. It is not a question about regional development. Would the member please ask a supplementary question in line with the Standing Orders. [Interruption] Order! Can we just have a supplementary question please.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Do you want me to repeat the question?Mr SPEAKER: No I want the member to ask a supplementary question otherwise we can move on. [Interruption] Order! Ask your supplementary question otherwise I am moving on.Rt Hon Winston Peters: All right then. Does she agree—[Interruption] Well we know what—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Now that we have got the member ready to ask his question can we have some silence on my right-hand side so I can hear it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does she agree that it is common sense to award the building contract and I emphasise the words “building contract”—peddled by the office of the Associate Minister of Education I might add just for clarity so no one is in doubt—to a Northland-based contractor that will create more jobs for the region; if not why not?Mr SPEAKER: Either of the two supplementary questions.Hon HEKIA PARATA: Can I repeat that I cannot answer that without the process having being completed and knowing who the main contractor is. But what I can tell the member is that $14 million for Northland College is a significant investment and education alone has invested over $100 million into Northland over the last 5 years. That is—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The question has now been answered. [Interruption] Order! Question No. 8 Dr Jian Yang. [Interruption] Order! To both members if you wish to have that conversation would you please go outside to do so.