Clark David: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClark David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 03 November 2015. Volume:709;Page:7567. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister for Economic Development: Who is responsible to this House for spending at the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development): I think I have answered this question for the member on at least two other occasions but I am happy to go through it again. Firstly I refer the member to section 34(1)(a) of the Public Finance Act which states that the chief executive of a department “is responsible to the responsible Minister for the financial management financial performance and financial sustainability of the department;”. Secondly—[Interruption] Shh! I refer the member to section 3.5 of the Cabinet Manual: “Ministers decide both the direction and the priorities for their departments. They should not be involved in their departments’ day-to-day operations. In general terms Ministers are responsible for determining and promoting policy defending policy decisions and answering in the House on both policy and operational matters.” Thirdly I refer the member to my response to a question from him on the same subject on 3 June when I stated that I am the Minister responsible for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment.Dr David Clark: Does he consider $500 plus GST for repairs to roughly handled model sheep good value for the taxpayer dollar?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The chief executive of the ministry has acknowledged that there was some discretionary spending in the last year that was inappropriate and he has since been tightening up on—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am sorry but I am having trouble hearing the answer. If members do not want to hear the answer then instead of just interjecting perhaps it would be better if they left the Chamber. Could the Minister start his answer again please.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The chief executive of the ministry has acknowledged that there was some discretionary spending that was inappropriate in the last financial year and he has since been tightening up on controls and delegations of expenditure. Although that particular item and other items the member has raised have been disappointing it is important to know that the ministry overall is saving taxpayers $9.5 million a year on the cost of the four previous agencies and a recent further consolidation will save a further $4 million a year.Dr David Clark: Can the Minister assure the House there was no internal misallocation of expenses at the ministry hiding the true cost to the taxpayer of the ministry Christmas party?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The member knows that there was some misallocation of expenditure that has been identified and publicly disclosed. That is currently being reviewed by the ministry and it has not found any evidence of misconduct to date but it would if it found any evidence of misconduct take appropriate action.Dr David Clark: When will he take full responsibility for the litany of gold-plated budget items at the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment when he signs off the budget and he has admitted in this House that he carries responsibility for that spending?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well the member I know is focused on Christmas party planning. I am not going to get into the details of planning the Christmas parties for Government departments. I am focused on the overall cost of the ministry and I note for the member again that it is saving taxpayers $9.5 million a year and a recent reorganisation will save a further $4 million a year. Actually—Dr David Clark: Skycity.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I am glad the member raised Skycity because while he is sitting there focusing on party planning Skycity because of its work with the ministry is actually setting up $700 million worth of investment in Auckland a thousand jobs and about 1250 jobs in operation. I appreciate that the Labour Party is not focused on that.Dr David Clark: Which of the following is he most embarrassed by—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am going to invite the member to start again.Dr David Clark: Which of the following is he most embarrassed by: (a) the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s $140000 TV screen; (b) the department’s $260000 sun deck; (c) the hair-straighteners at the department which he cannot use; (d) the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s $23000 Sky TV subscription; (e) the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s $800000 media monitoring bill—Mr SPEAKER: Will you bring the question to a conclusion.Dr David Clark: —(f) a 25 percent Budget blowout for the gold-plated Christmas party; (g)—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the question to a conclusion.Dr David Clark: There is a whole lot more.Mr SPEAKER: That is what I was worried about.Dr David Clark: We are pretty worried about it too to be honest.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question has now moved past the Standing Orders.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Aside from at least one or two inaccuracies—if not more—in that soliloquy from the member I am proud of the fact that this department is saving $9.5 million a year. I appreciate that Dr Clark is way down there in the weeds and that is where he should probably stay but actually I am focused on not only what the department is saving but also the work that it is doing promoting New Zealand’s development of its microeconomy and more jobs.Dr David Clark: I seek leave—Mr SPEAKER: So this is a point of order?Dr David Clark: Yes a point of order. I seek leave to table Steven Joyce’s top 10 spending list compiled by my office today for the assistance of members.Mr SPEAKER: Order! No. The point of tabling a document—[Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order!