New Zealand First MP and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones calls the Funding for Whangārei's infrastructure projects "shovel ready."
Jones explains: "They're community projects such as rugby, and Hihiaua, which is a Māori settlement. They'd go out fishing and gathering and bring their catch back to prepare there. There's a cycling project and there's also be a scheme for our young men to be trained before leaving school to lead them into carriers such as building and other jobs."
He is confident the projects will bring more than 200 much-needed jobs to the region.
"Those figures were given to us by the councils and project managers. The council will use some of the funding to make new roads at our port called Port Nikau," Jones says. "There is a lot of land there ready for new businesses but the problem is the road is too narrow and the port isn't stable enough."
He also says of the National Party's debacle with Covid-19 patient leaks. "I have nothing more to say about National than I did this morning.
"They leaked information about my leader during the last election. They leaked the information and that characteristic of theirs has come back to haunt them."