5. Question No. 5—FinanceNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Finance: What has been the cost to taxpayers so far of work associated with proposals for a TVNZ-RNZ merger and a New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I am advised that the latest available total cost of the work on the TVNZ-RNZ merger is $16.1 million. I'm further advised that the latest available total cost of the work on the New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme is $20.7 million. The final costs will be confirmed through the usual parliamentary accountability processes and of course detailed questions about these programmes are best directed to the Ministers responsible for the relevant appropriations.Nicola Willis: Are there any ongoing costs associated with these proposals and if so why are New Zealand taxpayers continuing to pay for work on policies the Government does not think are fit to implement?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As the Prime Minister has already indicated there will be both wind-down costs and—at the time of the announcement around the New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme—there would be ongoing policy work on what is a gap in our social security system.Nicola Willis: How much money in addition to the $36 million already poured down the drain will this Government throw at these zombie policies?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As I said yesterday to the member I appreciate the fact—which she's just confirmed with that question—that she doesn't care about those people made redundant in New Zealand or those people who lose their jobs through health conditions or disabilities. So as noted at the time of the announcement there will be ongoing policy work. If the member wants to reflect on policies where things were put down the drain she might want to reflect on the millions of dollars spent on a sheep farm in the Saudi desert by the former National Government. Nicola Willis: Is it the case that these flawed proposals have not been stopped but are instead being kept in hibernation being kept warm with taxpayers' money ready to return to life if Labour ever wins another election?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The interesting thing is that the member hasn't been following along very closely because on the day that the announcements were made by the Prime Minister it was made clear that actually looking after New Zealanders who lose their jobs through no fault of their own is a gap in our social security system. What the Prime Minister said at the time was that now was not the right time to do that with economic conditions as they are. So the member if she had been following along would know the answer to her question.Nicola Willis: So if it's such a good idea why isn't it going ahead?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Because there's a cost of living crisis which the member keeps telling us about over and over again—which the member keeps telling us about over and over again. Yet whenever the Government proposes anything that might help people with the cost of living the National Party oppose it—that is I might say other than their own proposal to give tax cuts to the highest-income earners. I stand proudly on our record of backing New Zealanders when they're facing a cost of living crisis.Nicola Willis: So can we now conclude that the Minister of Finance remains very emotionally attached to the Income Insurance Scheme and the jobs tax that he wanted to fund but that even he acknowledges that slapping an $800—average—tax on New Zealanders will never be a winner and that therefore this is a policy that will only succeed if he somehow undermines the Prime Minister?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: That speech from the member was an interesting insight into the values of different political parties. I will stand proudly on being emotionally attached to having New Zealanders in work and to having New Zealanders looked after so that when they get sick we look after them and so that when they lose their job we look after them. That's what we did during COVID. So the member might think it's all a political game or some part of the Wellington High School debating society that she's part of but for me it is an emotional matter to have New Zealanders in work and to look after them.