Questions for Oral Answer

1. to the Minister of Finance: How many jobs have been created in the New Zealand economy over the past two years?

on behalf of the Minister of Finance: Mr Speaker—[Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Order! Order! I apologise to the Minister. The question contains no assertions of fact. It just asks a straight question. Before the Minister had even opened his mouth, there was totally unacceptable interjection.

A net 57,000 more New Zealanders have a job now than 2 years ago. That is according to the household labour force survey, seasonally adjusted, which is the standard internationally recognised measure of employment and unemployment.

💬 David Bennett: What examples has he seen of jobs being created in the infrastructure sector?

Thanks to the Government’s multibillion-dollar investment in infrastructure, after years of under-investment, and also, of course, the Christchurch rebuild, many projects are being undertaken to help create a faster-growing economy. Some specific examples include 1,000 new jobs over the next 4 years with the Waterview Connection construction, 1,000 new construction jobs at Wiri Prison, nearly 2,000 people in employment thanks to the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband, and 1,000 employed on the horizontal infrastructure rebuild in Christchurch. Together, the total construction workforce required for the wider Canterbury rebuild is estimated to be around 32,000.

💬 David Bennett: What examples has he seen of jobs being created in the manufacturing and information and communications technology sectors?

The manufacturing sector has grown 6.1 percent by volume in the 2 years to June 2012. Some specific examples of jobs in this sector include the Continuous Catalyst Regeneration Project—which is just about to commence—at Marsden Point, which will employ around 350 people; the recommissioning of the second train at Methanex’s methanol plant in Taranaki, which has involved up to 500 jobs; and the new, $200 million Fonterra plant at Darfield, which has involved more than 1,500 people during its construction. In the information and communications technology sector, examples include 400 new jobs in a partnership between IBM and Unitec, 128 new jobs at Xero this calendar year, more than 100 new jobs at software company Orion Health, plus jobs at other great New Zealand exporting organisations like Tait Communications, Oktobor Animation, and many more.

💬 David Bennett: Has he seen any other examples of projects that would create jobs that have not yet been able to proceed?

The Minister has seen some examples of that. For example, a new international convention centre in Auckland would create around a thousand new jobs during its construction and around 800 jobs once it is up and running. Of course, that is being opposed as much as possible and slowed down by the Greens and Labour. Then there is the Bathurst Resources escarpment mine project on the West Coast, which would employ 225 people, if objectors withdrew their appeals, of course. I would say again to the Amalgamated Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union, Labour, and the Greens that if they were serious about helping Coasters, they would call on opponents to drop their objections and allow this project to proceed.

💬 David Bennett: What reports has he seen about support for jobs in the mining sector?

The Minister has seen three quite intriguing reports. The first, a recent statement, said “Let me be very clear here, I have always supported mining on the West Coast.”, the second said that “undeveloped coal reserves should be left in the ground.”, and the third said that “Our position on mining has never been unclear and has always been consistent.” Those three statements came from Labour MPs Damien O’Connor, Maryan Street, and David Parker.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: The Hon Trevor Mallard. [Interruption] Order! I want to hear this question. The Hon Trevor Mallard.

💬 Hon Trevor Mallard: Has he seen the letter from Orion Health—which he referred to in a supplementary answer—to Craig Foss, the Minister of Commerce, indicating that its business had been placed at risk as a result of the decision of Mr Foss to override the unanimous decision of a select committee of this House to do with the patenting of software, and that its business could well go offshore as a result of that?

No, I am not aware of a letter in that regard. I suggest that if the member has a question in that respect he puts it down to Mr Foss, who is in charge of that portfolio. Also, from my brief knowledge of the matter that the member raises, I do not think his assertion is correct, anyway.

💬 Hon David Parker: I seek leave to table a document compiled by the Parliamentary Library, which shows that there are more New Zealanders unemployed as of June 2012 than there were in June 2010.

💬 Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.

Question time interrupted.