12541 (2024). Hon Barbara Edmonds to the Minister of Finance

12541 (2024). Hon Barbara Edmonds to the Minister of Finance: Does the Minister expect that Chief Executives will need to make compromises in order to deliver her proposed savings and performance plan, if so, what compromises?

Hon Nicola Willis: The Government established a multi-year Fiscal Sustainability Programme in December 2023 to generate headroom, tighten fiscal discipline, and ensure collective ownership and accountability for the fiscal position (CAB-23-MIN-0490). The first phase of the programme had a focus on freeing up headroom for Budget 2024, supported by the Budget 2024 Initial Baseline Exercise. Phase two of the programme will commence after Budget 2024, focusing on driving greater value and results from public expenditure and securing a sustainable fiscal outlook. Performance Plans (previously Savings and Performance Plans) are one of the phase two activities. My officials will shortly provide me with detailed advice on Performance Plans. I expect these Plans will provide a medium-term perspective of how each agency will prioritise effort to progress our Government’s priorities, how public resources will be allocated to enable that effort, and to report on the delivery and impacts of those activities. This will also include the trade-offs that Ministers will need to make.