5. Question No. 5—FinanceHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: Does she stand by all of the fiscal and economic commitments made in the coalition agreements signed by National New Zealand First and ACT?Hon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance): Yes subject to final consideration and decision making by Cabinet.Hon Grant Robertson: How specifically will the tax cut programme in the coalition agreements be funded?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: The tax relief that our Government will deliver next year will be funded through a range of savings reprioritisations and new revenue measures. We announced a down payment today of $7.5 billion worth of savings we have already booked. The next step is a baseline savings exercise to reduce the back-office and consultancy spending of Government departments and to drive more efficiency from Government programmes. We're also initiating full cost recovery for immigration levies enhancing the audit capabilities of IRD and taxing online casinos.Hon Grant Robertson: Is it correct that the funding arrangements for tax cuts were not in the mini-Budget as Nicola Willis promised throughout the election campaign?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: It is correct that the mini-Budget contained $7.5 billion worth of savings as well as concrete actions to deliver the next range of savings that will support tax relief. It's also clear that under the former Minister's watch—Hon Grant Robertson: Oh right. We're moving into something you're not responsible for.Hon NICOLA WILLIS: —we had spending go up up up; tax go up up up; and very little delivered.Hon Grant Robertson: Can then the Minister confirm that landlords and speculators can confirm that they have a tax cut but New Zealanders who she promised income tax cuts to are none the wiser today about how they'll be paid for what they'll be or even when they'll get them?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Well I disagree with a number of characterisations in the member's question. But New Zealanders should listen up: at this mini-Budget we are bringing not just economic responsibility back but we are giving them the guarantee that next year they will get income tax relief.Hon David Seymour: Can the Minister of Finance confirm that she's part of a coalition Government where all three parties are wholly committed to delivering the levels of tax relief to the people promised it in the time frame it was promised by her all along; however the Government is also taking advice on how to more effectively and efficiently do so and that taking advice and considering different perspectives is a strength not a weakness?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: That's right. And I would put to the member: a way of summarising that is what New Zealanders care about is the size of the sausage not how it's delivered. And how we will deliver it—[Interruption] It's been a year of bad quotes from me.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Talking about a right sausage did she hear Mr Robertson's interjection when he shouted out You're not responsible for it"; and can she confirm that she's not responsible for his messes and isn't she grateful for that?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: With respect to the House I think enough talk of messes sausages and holes."