5. Question No. 5—FinanceHon AMY ADAMS (National—Selwyn) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. Hon AMY ADAMS (National—Selwyn) to the Minister of Finance: Does he consider it part of his role as Minister of Finance to ensure that the collection and use of tax revenue is undertaken carefully and in the best interests of all New Zealanders?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Yes which is why we cancelled the previous Government's tax cuts which would have disproportionately benefited the wealthiest New Zealanders and instead brought in a Families Package which is boosting the incomes of hundreds of thousands of middle- and low-income families.Hon Amy Adams: Well speaking of low-income families is he aware that—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Now the member will start her question with a question word rather than a statement.Hon Amy Adams: Certainly Mr Speaker. Is he aware that if the $325 million in extra tax the Government is set to collect from landlords over the next three years is passed on to tenants it would mean an extra $500 in rent for the average renting household?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I don't have those figures in front of me. What I do know is that what the member has heard several times this week from a number of Ministers—that the biggest determinant in rents and rents going up which they do most years in New Zealand—is the supply of rental housing which that Government failed to do anything to contribute to.Hon Amy Adams: Has he seen the Stuff story today which quotes property manager Matthew McMillan confirming that rents are already going up to cover the Government's decision to ban letting fees and saying that the idea that this ban won't result in higher rents just doesn't hold water."; and if so does he stand by his answer yesterday that he's not convinced that imposing more costs on landlords will see rents rise?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I haven't seen that Stuff story but I have seen another Stuff story from this week describing that member's tax policy as meaningless unworkable or irresponsible.Hon Amy Adams: Very childish. How can he justify to New Zealand families who now face paying hundreds of dollars a year more on petrol and rents thanks to this Government that the Government has just bought and then mulched $160000 worth of seedlings?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I know that those members of the public see from this Government is a Government that's committed to making sure that we have a fair and balanced tax system one where people pay their fair share. That's why we set up the Tax Working Group and we await its outcomes.Hon Amy Adams: How can he justify to New Zealand families who pay those taxes and who face higher costs of living because of the taxes imposed by this Government that the Government has spent $107000 of taxpayer money to pay out the proposed Chief Technology Officer for a job that this Government designed advertised interviewed for and then abandoned?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I know is that on this side of the House we take seriously our responsibility to deliver for all New Zealanders. Each Government will have to justify the decisions it makes just like the previous Government might like to justify the $11 million it spent on a sheep farm in the Saudi desert.Hon Amy Adams: How much taxpayers' money has the Government spent on having to review Iain Lees-Galloway's decision to grant residency to Karel Sroubek?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I'm not aware of any cost beyond baselines regarding that matter."