9387 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister for Māori Development

9387 (2026). Camilla Belich to the Minister for Māori Development: What external legal costs, if any, were incurred by any department or entity for which the Minister is responsible in each financial year since 2020/21, broken down by department or entity and by the nature of the legal work (litigation, commercial advice, employment matters, Treaty matters, or other)?

Hon Tama Potaka: I refer the Member to the below table for total Legal Fees for each financial year since 2020/21 - 2024/25. I am advised by Te Puni Kōkiri that the information requested by categorisation will require substantial manual collation exercise and divert staff from their core duties. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 199/6, I consider that the time, and hence the expense, of answering this question in the timeframe allowed for written parliamentary questions, is not in the public interest.