4. Tax System—Tax AvoidanceGRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) to the Minister of FinanceTax System—Tax Avoidance4. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all his statements?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): Yes especially the statements from last week which the member will be familiar with: The member has to be careful with his trainspotting of quarterly figures." and also that he needs "new talking points because the New Zealand economy is one of the fastest-growing economies in the developed world …".Grant Robertson: On the subject of his statements last week—that it was important to ensure that all companies in New Zealand were paying their fair share of tax—does he think that Apple paying virtually no company tax in New Zealand for 10 years is Apple paying its fair share of tax?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: You would have to be careful about commenting on individual taxpayers but we have a comprehensive programme of ensuring that international multinational companies pay their fair share of tax. But also we have to do it in such a way that it is balanced because we have to understand that New Zealand companies that operate overseas are likely to experience the same rules that international companies experience here. So we have to be careful to make sure that the international rules balance the requirement for taxing in-country versus taxing also in the source country where the companies live.Grant Robertson: Why did his Government not undertake an inquiry into multinational tax avoidance when it was recommended to them in 2012 again in 2014 and again in 2016?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The member might be hiding under a rock but actually there is a comprehensive series of initiatives on multinational taxation which the Minister of Revenue has released—in fact a whole range of activity that is going on and is being consulted on at the moment pending being put through legislation alongside the OECD. So the member might like to pretend from his talking points that nothing is happening but obviously quite a lot is happening.Grant Robertson: Why is an investigation into multinational tax avoidance happening now in 2017 when his Government rejected advice to do it in 2012 2014 and 2016—[Interruption] No no. Answer me; do not talk to them.Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well school teacher Grant has appeared. Actually it started under the previous Minister of Revenue Michael Woodhouse last year and now it is in the hands of the current Minister of Revenue. Again I invite the member to go back and look at the IRD website at all the work that has been done and then come back and ask us some serious questions.Grant Robertson: Will he commit to implementing change to ensure that multinational companies pay their fair share of tax before the election in September?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Obviously we have got to advance it through the law book—and subject to the legislative requirements. Certainly this Government is keen to introduce things as quickly as it can alongside the OECD and we are committed to it. In terms of the actual date I will come back to the member but perhaps the Labour Party would like to help us pass through our legislative programme in a whole range of areas including for example the reforms to the Resource Management Act."