38745 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Internal Affairs

38745 (2026). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Internal Affairs: How much, if any, did the Minister’s departments, agencies, crown entities and any other bodies that the Minister is responsible for, if any, spend on consultancy costs, from 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026?

Hon Brooke van Velden: I am advised by the Department of Internal Affairs that total consultancy expenditure in the 2025/26 financial year was $19.863 million. This includes: a. Government Chief Digital Office expenditure until 31 March 2026, when it transferred to the Public Service Commission. b. National Emergency Management Agency from 25 September 2025, when it transferred from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. I am advised by Lotto NZ that for the 2025/26 financial year, no consultancy spending has been identified. I am advised by the Classification office that in the 2025/26 financial year, the total consultancy spend was $244,000. I am advised by Fire and Emergency New Zealand that in the 2025/26 financial year, the total consultancy spend was $14,873,005.