Goldsmith Paul: State Sector and Public Finance Reform Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Goldsmith Paul: State Sector and Public Finance Reform Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 28 November 2012. Volume:686;Page:6930. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) 
: 
 I think it is worth remembering the four main priorities of this Government as we embark on this important debate on this important bill the State Sector and Public Finance Reform Bill. It is about getting our books in order first and foremost; rebuilding Christchurch; growing and deepening the New Zealand economy such as through the Business Growth Agenda; and delivering better public services to New Zealanders. 
I suppose this bill is primarily focused on that last one—building better public services for New Zealanders—because we have to remember that during the last period of the Labour Government a lot of resources were poured into the public sector. There was a 50 percent increase in spending and a very large increase in the core Public Service over that period as well but there was precious little to show for it. This Government has taken a very different approach. It has been very focused on the results not the inputs and on getting as much quality out of the sector as we can. 
The most satisfying thing that I have seen recently is the Kiwis Count survey which has shown that New Zealanders are increasingly satisfied with the front-line public services they have received over the last few years notwithstanding the very tight fiscal parameters in which we have worked and the fact that there has not been much new money to put in. But still the results have been better and New Zealanders are more satisfied with those results so I think we have got something to build on here. 
We established the Better Public Services Advisory Group back in May 2011. A number of recommendations were brought forward as a result of that such as managing the State agencies to ensure that they function as a system that is focused on results that will have the greatest impact on New Zealanders’ lives rather than operating as individual agencies in pursuit of their own singular objectives. That has been a tradition for a long time and it is very difficult to change the culture of the Public Service. This is what this legislation is all about and it is also about clarifying and strengthening leadership and reducing the clutter of decision points. 
So this legislation here is an omnibus bill that is drawing together changes to the State Sector Act 1988 that will deal with some of those issues about governance across the whole system and ensure that the State Sector Act is a modern flexible and generally fit for purpose piece of legislation. Also there are a number of changes to the Public Finance Act 1989 which are about ensuring that we have more meaningful information given to Parliament about what the Government is spending and achieving and reducing the compliance costs involved in producing that information. It includes shifting the default for tabling strategic information to at least once every 3 years and improving the financial flexibility to facilitate innovation and different ways of working with the executive branch of the Government. So I think there is going to be a lot to discuss and debate at the select committee and I commend this bill to the House. Thank you.