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Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones says a list of shovel-ready projects identified to stimulate the economy in the wake of COVID-19 has already passed $100 billion.
The list will be whittled down by a group of ministers responsible for Budget decisions.
He says the work of the Provincial Growth Fund over the past couple of years has shown how such projects can address not just economic gaps but also social needs through the jobs and training they create.
"Training has the greatest impact if it enables our rangatahi to enjoy more choices, change lifestyle and become quite frankly better adjusted in terms of dealing with the social and economic challenges that confront whānau," Mr Jones says.
In implementing the plan he’s counting on the commitment shown by colleagues like Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Finance Minister Grant Robertson for Māori to play a greater role than in the past, both in the sort of companies that get involved and the type of work being done.
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