4. Question No. 4—FinanceHon BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 4—Finance4. Hon BARBARA EDMONDS (Labour—Mana) to the Minister of Finance: What process if any has she established for portfolio Ministers and Cabinet to review and approve the cost-saving proposals currently being consulted on by agencies through the Initial Baseline Exercise?Hon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister of Finance): Ministers were asked in late December to work with their agencies to develop credible savings options for Budget 2024. Chief executives were expected to exercise good judgment in putting forward savings proposals and Ministers have worked with agencies to refine them. The savings exercise is an ongoing and iterative process including through Budget bilaterals between myself and various Ministers. Cabinet will be asked to approve the full Budget package.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Is it her expectation that Ministers will understand the full implications of their agencies' final cost savings plans prior to Cabinet considering the Budget package as set out in question time yesterday?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Yes.Hon Barbara Edmonds: Is she concerned then that agency cuts won't be finalised prior to Cabinet considering Budget 2024 and how does she expect her colleagues to consider and reject those proposals if the Budget has already been finalised?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Well there's two things happening here. The first is that agencies as a matter of course routinely and have for many years made decisions to restructure their entities in order to focus on their core priorities and to drive efficiency. Some of the changes that are under way and change processes that are happening across the public service now are actually the result of reforms by the previous Government. For example in the case of Health New Zealand it was always an expectation that there would then be reductions in the number of roles at the Ministry of Health. The second thing that is happening here is that in some cases agencies have made decisions at an operational level to begin change processes and to consult on those change processes.Hon Barbara Edmonds: How can the Minister of Health meet her expectations to understand the impact of the Ministry of Health's cuts prior to Cabinet agreeing the Budget when final decisions are not expected to come until June?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Well I think I just answered that in my previous answer.Hon Barbara Edmonds: How can she say that her colleagues are able to reject proposals to freeze hiring at Oranga Tamariki and Police or cut jobs from the tobacco regulation team at Health or the Suicide Prevention Office when these are being finalised after Cabinet agrees her Budget?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Because many entities have put forward proposals that Ministers have rejected. That is happening that has happened and I suspect it will continue to happen. Hon Barbara Edmonds: Is it not the case that she will pursue significant cost cutting to pay for her tax cuts package without knowing the full impact on the public while leaving her colleagues to front the consequences of her decisions?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: I want to tell you about the impact it had on the public when that Government chose to increase spending—SPEAKER: No no—Hon NICOLA WILLIS: —at a rapid rate and the decisions—SPEAKER: Sorry—resume your seat. No—take your seat. After all the discussion that we've had in recent days don't start an answer like that. Attacks on the Opposition for their political activities are not reasonable. Referencing decisions they've made and the consequences of those decisions as they affect portfolios now is in order but the way that was presented was not quite to form.Hon Chris Bishop: Point of order Mr Speaker. The only one that needs rescuing is your deputy leadership. Anyway umm aah Mr Speaker—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Just hang on; just a minute. We've got a point of order being taken. They are heard in silence.Hon Chris Bishop: There's been a protocol Mr Speaker that political questions get political answers. That was quite a political question—very serious quite charged a politically charged allegation inherent in the question—and the Minister of Finance is responding in a political way. That's always been the rule sir that political questions get political answers; straight questions deserve straight answers. Is the rule now that political questions can't be political in their answers?SPEAKER: No of course not. But your version your assessment of what is a politically charged question and mine are clearly different. Your view on what is a reasonable answer and mine are different but mine will prevail. Does the Minister wish to—point of order the Hon Kieran McAnulty.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Thank you very much Mr Speaker. We absolutely accept that point of orders will be heard in silence but we also believe that the rule that points of orders should solely be points of orders should also be followed and when they're not it's likely to lead to disorder in the House.SPEAKER: That is true but given the nature of the ruling I decided to let that slide. But it won't be happening again. So Minister would you like to answer the question—or would you like to hear it again?Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Oh no I'm fine. Look I can offer the member opposite real reassurance that every single member of this Government supports our decision to offer tax relief to working people by reprioritising some of the wasteful spending that was put in place by those members.