8. Provincial Growth Fund—Decision MakingHon SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) to the Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentProvincial Growth Fund—Decision Making8. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: When does he think that decisions on significant initiatives under the Regional Development (Provincial Growth) Fund will start being made and when will the first of these projects physically start? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Who was that? Who made the interjection? Right well that's—Darroch Ball: It was after he finished his question.Mr SPEAKER: And if the member had been listening yesterday I made it very clear to the House that the silence period finished when I'd called the Minister. I'll be very generous and just call the Hon Shane Jones and no one will be confused by that again.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would just like to make the point that you took a supplementary off this side because I did exactly that just earlier this question time.Mr SPEAKER: Yes and I apologise for being inconsistent. When I get everything right I'll be very surprised.Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Regional Economic Development): Before I embark Mr Speaker I just want a little bit of clarity. The member is asking me what I think which could be a guess.Mr SPEAKER: I think it's fair to say it's a what" not a "whether" question.Hon SHANE JONES: In relation to his decisions on significant initiatives under the provincial growth fund when will they start to be made? The criteria—the full character and content of the provincial growth fund—are still being developed. When will the first of these projects physically start? That depends on the quality of the analysis but I look forward to early announcements including one promoted by his colleague Mr Joyce in Ōpōtiki.Hon Simon Bridges: So is it the case therefore that he cannot tell us when we can expect to see rail projects tree planting or large-scale capital projects at all?Hon SHANE JONES: In line with the rules around supplementary questions let me focus on tree planting. That is weather dependent climate dependent and seasonal.Hon Simon Bridges: Who will make decisions and on what criteria will they make them regarding the fund? Can he give us any information in relation to that?Hon SHANE JONES: A very good question. Firstly the Minister is wading through the ragbag of ideas and mess that was left behind under the other side of the House but I am making progress in that regard—with a very sharp slasher. I can assure the member that he will hear as his colleague Mrs Tolley will hear as they pester me for announcements about projects in their regions that they never got around to doing when they were in power once the criteria have been settled upon.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he agree at least with what he's previously said publicly: that the process must be rigorous and not just decided by politicians but meet a "higher threshold"?Hon SHANE JONES: I'm presuming he's attributing that remark to me. Obviously I agree with it.Hon Simon Bridges: Will he give the House an assurance that the $3 billion being spent this term in terms of decisions and its criteria will be to the highest standards of process and probity?Hon SHANE JONES: It's actually a serious question. It deserves a serious answer. The distribution and the allocation of such a large amount of capital will obviously meet very high criteria. It will not just be the decision of the Minister standing; a number of them will go through the full Cabinet committee process something that members on the other side of the House have advised me to do.Hon Simon Bridges: In light of all of the foregoing answers to the primary and the supplementary questions how is it then that he has already told his local newspaper of the four regions that will get the fund and "Upgrading rail to Northland and a spur line to Northport it is simply going to happen." and doesn't this House deserve the same sort of candour that he gives his local paper when answering questions here?Hon SHANE JONES: In relation to the extension of the rail and the spur to Marsden Point what he has just reflected is dead accurate.Hon Simon Bridges: So is it politicians deciding or is it the higher standard he said earlier in questions?Hon SHANE JONES: Naturally given that I said it it's a high standard."