1. Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What progress has been made on the Government’s jobs and growth stimulus package for transport?
Hon NATHAN GUY (Associate Minister of Transport) Link to this
The Minister of Transport was in Rotorua this morning for the opening of the Fairy Springs upgrade, which is one of the many projects that have been advanced under the jobs and growth plan. The $322 million investment in roading projects around the country has provided 550 jobs and has supported a further 1,200 jobs in associated trades. This investment has given a real boost to the regions by utilising regional workforces and local contractors. The jobs and growth plan provides a short-term stimulus, but the real value is the construction of projects that will support prolonged growth when completed.
The 550 jobs I mentioned in the primary answer are over and above those of the more than 1,500 people working on the Government’s roads of national significance and the many thousands working on the overall road-building programme. These jobs would not exist if the previous Government had had its way and scaled back the roading programme. This investment in infrastructure will improve key roading corridors and will reduce bottlenecks to growth as the economy picks up.