12. Digital Services—Chief Technology OfficerMELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister for Government Digital ServicesDigital Services—Chief Technology OfficerMELISSA LEE (National): My question is to the Minister for Government Digital Services and asks: what is the difference between the Government Chief Technology Officer the Government Chief Information Officer and the new Chief Technology Officer role that she is creating?Mr SPEAKER: Now I think what we'll do is we'll just get the last bit of the question asked as per the yellow sheet thank you.12. MELISSA LEE (National) to the Minister for Government Digital Services: What is the difference between the Government Chief Technology Officer the Government Chief Information Officer and the new Chief Technology Officer role that she has created?Hon CLARE CURRAN (Minister for Government Digital Services): Mr Speaker happy Christmas to you and to my colleagues across the House to the Hansard staff the Clerk's Office the messengers—Mr SPEAKER: No—no speeches please. Get on with it.Hon CLARE CURRAN: The member may be confused by these roles because the job titles changed under her Government. The Government Chief Information Officer changed to the Government Chief Digital Officer in June this year. The Government Chief Technology Officer reports to him. The new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position announced yesterday is a ministerial appointment and will have a broader advisory focus going across the economy society and the Government. The other roles are held by senior officials and focus on digital transformation across Government and its implementation.Melissa Lee: Why has she announced this new role when this position already exists and is delivering support for the Government and the communities of New Zealand?Hon CLARE CURRAN: I don't think the member was listening to the answer to the last question. These roles are not the same. The Chief Technology Officer appointment is a ministerial appointment and will have a broader advisory focus going across the economy society and Government. It's an outward-facing role. The other roles are held by senior officials and focus on digital transformation across Government. Unlike her Government this Government is investing in this space rather than cutting funding.Melissa Lee: How can she justify spending an estimated half a million dollars a year on this unnecessary role when the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update indicated the Budget was tight and her Government can't even find $350000 for a worthy cause like KidsCan?Hon CLARE CURRAN: Because unlike the previous Government which paid lip service to the digital economy which paid lip service to digital inclusion which paid lip service to digital rights and data governance this Government takes this seriously and this is a strong step in creating a digital strategy for New Zealand which the previous Government never did.Melissa Lee: Aside from the salary and expenses and travelling totalling $500000 per annum what other costs does she expect the creation of the role will incur?Hon CLARE CURRAN: Those figures are estimates. I would expect that the CTO will be prudent and careful with any taxpayer money. We have gone through the appropriate checks to ensure that that salary is in line with a role of this type and this is an important area of priority for this new Government.Dr Duncan Webb: What support is she aware of for a Chief Technology Officer?Hon CLARE CURRAN: What a good question. On 21 September the former Minister Simon Bridges said he was considering the establishment of a chief technology officer-led think tank." Given that statement I would have thought there would have been more excitement about my announcement from the members sitting opposite me."