Clark David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeClark David: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 03 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4257. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister for Economic Development: Does the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s expenditure of $43000 on a sign show it is achieving one of its principal goals of realising efficiency gains over time?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development): Firstly although the cost and installation of the sign itself was $43490 I was advised before the House sat today that there were a number of associated costs and I would like to take the opportunity to keep the House informed of themnow. These associated costs include more than $900 for lighting $13500 for the construction and installation of the foundation $2000 for resource consents plus fees and margins for the construction company—Hon Member: Is this in addition?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Yes it is in addition—to the total of $67339. So in answer to the member’s question no I do not think that it is indicative of the broader efficiency gains that are being achieved. In fact it underlines what I have said previously: that the cost is clearly over the top. I have made that very clear to the chief executive of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and I have sought and received a strong assurance that nothing like this will be spent on signage again.Dr David Clark: Was the $360000 that his department spent on comfort couches motorised desks and apple stools part of the same programme of realising efficiency gains over time?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: In fact the article that the member is relying on for that information was incorrect in some details. The motorised tables were not purchased and the prices of the sofas were incorrect as well. However the member makes a valid point overall. It is part of the overall cost of the shift of the agency which will save taxpayers $40 million to $50 million over 20 years on top of the savings from merging the agencies which are around the $9 million a year mark. Nevertheless I agree with the member that—Hon Trevor Mallard: More than that on consultants already.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I agree with the member—[Interruption] Shh Trevor! I agree with the member that those costs are over the top and I have made that clear to the chief executive.Dr David Clark: Did he choose the colour of The Small Business Sector Report choose landscape over portrait orientation for the same document and criticise the clarity of language that was cut and pasted from his own previous report?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well we are really on the big issues here. I can confirm one thing for the member: I often criticise the lack of clarity of written information and seek that it be clarified. But beyond that I think the rest of it is up to the member’s imagination.Dr David Clark: I seek leave to table an internal email dated 24 February 2014 released under the Official Information Act which shows the Minister’s demand to change a document to landscape style.Mr SPEAKER: The email has been described. I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table it. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Dr David Clark: I seek leave to table an internal email dated 18 February 2014 in which officials ask him to choose between colour options.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular document. Is there any objection? [Interruption] Was there objection from my left? No there was not. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Dr David Clark: I seek leave to table a third exchange of emails—Mr SPEAKER: Is this your final one?Dr David Clark: —it is—dated 23 February 2014 in which it is recorded that the Minister despite officials borrowing language directly—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Just describe the email quickly.Dr David Clark: —insisted on clearer language.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular email. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Dr David Clark: Who is the Minister responsible to this House for the expenditure referred to in my primary question and also in the last two supplementary questions?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well the Minister responsible for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment is me. I have made it absolutely clear to the chief executive that I do not condone the expenditure on the sign. He has accepted that and has given me a very clear assurance. Overall the ministry has done a good job at reducing costs and actually through the move to a refurbished building—unlike the new buildings that the Labour Government used to build all around Wellington all the time—it has actually saved $40 million to $50 million over 20 years. On top of that the merger will save around $9.5 million a year. Nevertheless those particular items were over the top.Dr David Clark: Is his officials’ assessment accurate that the Minister often does not know what he wants until he sees what he does not want?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Golly gosh! This is a case of the member perhaps burying the lead. Nevertheless I think Ministers often decide what they want once they have seen something they do not want. I do not think this is a particularly marvellous revelation from the member.