2. Public Infrastructure—Investment and Pūhoi to Warkworth HighwayBRETT HUDSON (National) to the Minister of FinancePublic Infrastructure—Investment and Pūhoi to Warkworth Highway2. BRETT HUDSON (National) to the Minister of Finance: How much is the Government committing to spend on infrastructure over the next 4 years?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): Last week I announced the Government will allocate $11 billion in new capital spending over the next four Budgets including $4 billion over the period 2017-18. This Government is investing heavily in new schools hospitals housing roads and railways as well as additional new investment in the justice and defence sectors. New Zealand is experiencing strong economic growth but to keep growing we have to continue investing in the infrastructure the country needs. We are able to do this because we have a strong economic plan that is delivering economic growth and ensuring the Government's finances continue to grow and of course we have returned to surplus. Brett Hudson: How does this amount compare with capital expenditure over previous years? Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The capital commitment in Budget 2017 that I have talked about will represent the biggest addition to the Government's capital stock in decades. In Budget 2016 for example last year we were forecasting around $3.6 billion in new capital spend between Budget 2017 and Budget 2020 compared with the $11 billion that was announced last week. In fact if you add the Government's budgeted new capital investment together with the investment already being made through baselines and through the National Land Transport Fund the total is around $23 billion over the next 4 financial years or an average of nearly $6 billion per year.Brett Hudson: How will New Zealanders benefit from this additional investment in infrastructure? Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Kiwi families will see the benefits in terms of the facilities and services they receive for their kids to go to school treatment in local hospitals and of course the transport to get to work each day. In some parts of Auckland already you can see a massive amount of activity occurring and I understand the frustration that comes from an epidemic of road cones but that is a strong sign of how we are building for further growth. Change is already happening with the recent opening of the Kapiti Expressway here in Wellington the imminent opening of the $1.6 billion Waterview Connection the widening of the southern corridor in Auckland the airport motorway developments and of course the Mount Roskill motorway and the Northwestern Motorway widenings as well as the construction of the City Rail Link tunnel. These investments will go towards providing the core infrastructure needed to build homes for our growing population. Rt Hon Winston Peters: If the public is to believe anything that this Minister says can he confirm that after 8 years not 1 metre of the Pūhoi to Warkworth superhighway has been built; that since he made the promise in the Northland by-election not 1 metre of the Wellsford to Warkworth highway has been built; and that of his 10 two-lane bridges nothing has started and seven have gone missing? Hon STEVEN JOYCE: If the member is criticising my word against his I would remind him that it is he who has got the record of 40 years in New Zealand's politics with not a massive amount of consistency.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. In the interests of being terse and accurate I kept it very simple. I just want confirmation: yes or no?Mr SPEAKER: No the member knows Speakers' rulings better than that—he cannot demand a yes or no answer. Does the Minister want to complete his answer?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: As I was saying the member's record of consistency over 40 years leaves something to be desired but I am happy to help him—I am happy to help him—because this Government is investing in the highway in Pūhoi to Warkworth and in fact has a great plan for Warkworth to Wellsford. It is currently investing—for the member's benefit—in four of the 10 bridges in Northland. It is investing in the State highway linking between Whangarei and the airport. It is investing in a whole bunch of other roads in Northland. If the member would like to go on a field trip to his Northland electorate I suggest we get Mr Bridges to take him for a look around.Brett Hudson: What funding tools is the Government considering to encourage additional investment in New Zealand's infrastructure?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: One of the key things the Government infrastructure spending can achieve is bringing together central government local government and the private sector to enhance infrastructure spending more generally. Not all infrastructure needs to be paid for by taxpayers. To encourage this coming together we are intending to further extend the use of public-private partnerships. We of course have the Housing Infrastructure Fund which will help encourage joint ventures between central and local government. Also we intend to bring in more private investors. We will have more to say about that in the months ahead.Marama Fox: How will the Minister respond to Ella Te Kani Tina Karaitiana and Nikki Searancke of Ngati Porou who run their whānau trust growing forests who tell me they cannot get the logs out because the public road needed to do so is impassable and there is no plan to fix it creating a net loss to them of $3 million.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The Minister of Transport tells me that there is work planned in that particular area of Ngati Porou's territory. I am going to suggest to the member that she takes that up with the Minister of Transport who is probably keen to visit Ngati Porou territory as well.