3. Question No. 3—FinanceNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 3—Finance3. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Finance: Is he confident that every dollar appropriated in the 2023 Budget will be spent better by the Government than it could have been spent by hard-working New Zealanders enduring a cost of living crisis?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I will give the member the charity of not interpreting her question literally which I think means that she's shutting up the shop on Government entirely and putting all money into the hands of hard-working New Zealanders". I will respond to what I think she meant by the question and say that I'm confident that this Government has prioritised the needs of hard-working New Zealanders during a period of elevated inflation and the need to respond to the adverse weather events all by keeping a lid on debt. I'm also confident that as of 1 April the rate of NZ super for a couple will have increased by $326.68 since 2017. I'm confident that over 860000 or 99.6 percent of children aged less than 14 years old are enrolled at a general practice that provides free visits during the day. I'm confident that 54 percent of all New Zealand families with children will be eligible for subsidised childcare assistance. These are only a few examples. Budget 2023 will strike a careful balance between supporting New Zealanders with the costs of today or charting a course for a more productive and resilient economy.Nicola Willis: In light of the inflation adjustments he has managed to fund for a range of Government beneficiaries including Government departments will he provide inflation adjustments for working New Zealanders in his Budget?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The inflation adjustments that we've provided such as those for people on benefits and those on superannuation are important ones for people who are particularly feeling the pressure of the cost of living. All New Zealanders are feeling that pressure. What a Government has to do is balance what we can do for them directly and the provision of core services. Health education housing—all of these things have been affected by inflation in a negative way. We have to make sure that we have the resources to spend to support those and create a balance with also supporting New Zealanders with the cost of living pressure.Nicola Willis: Is it his position that a billion dollars' worth of savings is responsible but $1 more would amount to austerity and how is that logically consistent?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Clearly that is not the position that I'm taking. What I am saying is many many more dollars more would not support the New Zealand economy or society in the situation that we're now in. It is important to get a balance in these situations. If we did go down the path that the member appears to be suggesting that would require significant cuts to public services. Now that may well be the member's position but she needs to make sure that New Zealanders understand that and explain how she'll pay for it.Nicola Willis: How is spending $1.7 billion on consultants and $97 million on Government advertising the right use of funds for "the society we are now in"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Much of the spending on consultants in recent times has for example been in response to COVID; been in response to issues that emerge that the Government needs to move quickly on. We have given a signal that we want to see the reduction in the spending on consultants and contractors but the member needs to explain if she thinks that every single dollar of that is going to be available to her in the future if she were to become the Minister of Finance how roads will be built in New Zealand because that is where a lot of contractor and consulting spending goes.Nicola Willis: How much of the less than 1 percent of the Government's Budget he has identified for savings will be prioritised for tax relief?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As we've noted before not too many sleeps for the Budget but the Government has indicated that our priority in this particular Budget is to make sure we actually fund the public services that New Zealanders rely on properly that we actually invest in the resilience of our future infrastructure. I know the member wants and is obsessed by giving tax cuts in this Budget. I simply believe it's not the right time. But regardless of that the member has to be able to explain how she will be able to pay for that. And it's no good doing it just a month before the election."