Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins went head-to-head over infrastructure projects in Parliament today.
During question time, National’s leader says the Government needs to move faster on shovel ready projects to avoid more job losses.
Ms Collins says more than 200,000 construction workers received the wage subsidy and will be at risk of losing their jobs once the scheme ends in September.
She quoted industry leaders who say they're "incredibly frustrated" and unless they know "where and when projects will start contractors are left totally in the dark and will have no choice but to put workers off or face companies going under".
Ms Ardern answered while holding up a chart which showed previous governments' spending on infrastructure compared to hers.
"As the Government of infrastructure, this is the investment of this Government in infrastructure," she began as MPs on her side of the House clapped and those on the opposite benches scoffed at the move.
"Can I point out this is the generous graph that includes the future investment fund where the last government sold assets in order to put a paltry amount into infrastructure."
In a press release sent out shortly before question time Ms Collins stated that: “Tens of thousands of jobs are on the line as Labour sits on its hands over the shovel-ready project scheme.
“Labour must release the full list of shovel-ready projects today, so that the construction industry can give certainty to those 200,000 families whose livelihoods are at risk. Labour must not keep the list secret another day longer."
Ms Ardern says National's leader is "oversimplifying the issue" and the Government needs to do its due diligence before beginning any infrastructure projects.
At the beginning of this month the Government announced a $3 billion Covid-19 recovery infrastructure package.
National has also pledged $31 billion in infrastructure spending as part of a far-reaching election pledge should it be elected to govern.
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