3. Fiscal Strategy—Core Crown Expenditure and Pre-election Fiscal PlanHon STEVEN JOYCE (National) to the Minister of FinanceFiscal Strategy—Core Crown Expenditure and Pre-election Fiscal Plan3. Hon STEVEN JOYCE (National) to the Minister of Finance: Can he confirm it is his intention as Minister of Finance to ensure core Crown expenses do not exceed $81.9 billion in 2017/18 $86.1 billion in 2018/19 $88.2 billion in 2019/20 $91.8 billion in 2020/21 and $96.1 billion in 2021/22 as specified in the Labour Party's pre-election Fiscal Plan?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I can confirm that it is my intention for core Crown expenditure as a percentage of GDP to be within the recent historical range. As to the exact figures in the member's question I cannot confirm those as of course they are subject to detailed Budget decisions and revenue forecasts that are yet to be finalised.Hon Steven Joyce: Can he confirm that he stands by his statement from 4 September this year and I quote Labour's Fiscal Plan is robust the numbers are correct and we stand by them"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I can confirm that the Budget that this Government is putting together will be robust and it will deliver on a commitment that this Government has made to ensure that all New Zealanders share in prosperity.Michael Wood: What else in addition to managing core Crown expenditure will guide the Government's approach to responsible fiscal management?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government will observe the Budget responsibility rules as indicated in the Speech from the Throne: namely delivering a sustainable operating balance before gains and losses; reducing net core Crown debt to 20 percent of GDP within 5 years; and ensuring a fair and balanced progressive taxation system. We will also never forget that the purpose of a strong economy is to give every New Zealander the chance to share in prosperity and we will never be satisfied while children live in poverty or families sleep in cars.Hon Steven Joyce: Does he stand by his statement also on 4 September and I quote that "Our operating expenses are above the line and are clearly stated."?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Budget that this Government will prepare will be clear about what we are spending and where the revenue for that is coming from.Hon Steven Joyce: So that's a no. Can I also ask: does he stand by his statement and I quote "We have quite clearly put in the spending requirements to meet the promises we have made. Our fiscal plan adds up. We are absolutely clear that we have the money to meet the commitments that we've made." also on 4 September?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government will prepare a Budget that shows how we will pay for the important commitments that we have made to ensure that every New Zealander benefits from economic prosperity.Hon Steven Joyce: Can the Minister of Finance then confirm that it is not his intention to necessarily ensure core Crown expenditure does not exceed $81.9 billion this current financial year $86.1 billion in the next financial year $88.2 billion in 2019-20 $91.8 billion in 2020-21 and $96.1 billion in 2021-22? Can he confirm that's not his intention even though it was specified in the Labour Party's pre-election fiscal plan?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I can confirm that we will keep Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP in line with the historical range.Hon Steven Joyce: Can the finance Minister then confirm that he doesn't at all stand by the numbers he presented in the Labour Party's fiscal plan prior to the election?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government is currently going through the usual process of putting together a Budget. We are absolutely confident that we will deliver a Budget that is in line with the Budget responsibility rules that were outlined in the Speech from the Throne and that will deliver to New Zealanders a fair share in prosperity. As I said in my primary answer the final numbers are the subject of the normal Budget process.Hon Steven Joyce: I'm sorry Mr Speaker but just to be clear the Minister released a fiscal plan prior to the election—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will sit the member down now and ask him to ask a question. Speaker Hunt used to have an old saying that questions start with a question word rather than something else.Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: No.Hon Simon Bridges: It's a fresh genuine point of order.Mr SPEAKER: Right.Hon Simon Bridges: It's simply this. The question was straight really: whether he stood by the numbers they had pre-election. There really wasn't any attempt to answer that specific question.Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order.Mr SPEAKER: No I'm not going to take any further comments on that. Both the asker of the question and I thought that there was a very clear response.Hon Steven Joyce: Is he saying that the actual numbers written on the Labour Party's fiscal plan prior to this election which he and his colleagues defended vigorously during the election campaign are no longer relevant? The comments he has made suggest that he will put whatever numbers he likes in front of the public in due course in the next Budget.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I have been absolutely clear that the commitment that we have made is that Government expenditure as a percentage of GDP will remain in line with the long-run historical trend. Members on the other side of the House well know that we will now be looking at new revenue forecasts and indeed new growth forecasts. They will determine the exact numbers that are presented. But we are very clear on this side of the House: our numbers add up.Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: A point of order—the Hon Steven Bridges.Hon Simon Bridges: It's Simon Bridges but I understand Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Sorry.Hon Simon Bridges: It's all right. The point of order is this: the question really was about the relevancy of the Labour fiscal plan. He didn't even address whether that fiscal plan is still relevant. I didn't see any addressing of that question.Hon Chris Hipkins: Point of order.Mr SPEAKER: No I'm going to deal with it again. I'm almost going to say "ibid" for my response to the member's previous point of order. I think both the asker of the question and I have understood the answers.Hon Tracey Martin: In the 51st Parliament the last Speaker made it very clear that the Government was not responsible for the manifesto or the policies of a political party. Can I ask for a ruling on that please?Mr SPEAKER: I'm happy to answer that. I think the member has been quite careful in the way that he has phrased his questions asking whether the member was standing by the figures or still agreed with the figures. I think that is something that is acceptable. They're a set of figures—it doesn't really matter where they come from—and it's a question of whether those figures portray the current position of the Government. If that was not the case I would have ruled out the original question.Hon Steven Joyce: Has he noted how often the Reserve Bank mentioned policy uncertainty in their Monetary Policy Statement this morning and has he considered how his statements in the House this afternoon and his responses to questions will not help with that policy uncertainty when the Reserve Bank was obviously placing some credence on his previous statements about Government expenditure and now he is not even standing by those?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Reserve Bank Governor noted today that his thinking was preliminary and just like the member opposite when the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update and Budget Policy Statement are released before the end of the year there will be significant certainty about our spending plans. If the member can't wait I'll make up a special advent calendar for him so that he can count down to the half yearly update."