46254 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills

46254 (2024). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills: What was the budget and how much was spent, if any, on the Minister's department's if any, on the carbon neutral government programme from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024?

Hon Penny Simmonds: I refer the Member to the Minister of Education’s response to written parliamentary question 46362 (2024) for the Ministry of Education. I am advised that Education New Zealand’s budget for the Carbon Neutral Government Programme in 2023/24 financial year was $15,450 and actual spend of $16,093. Tertiary Education Commission The TEC’s annual budget is $12,999, based on a Contract for Services with Toitū Envirocare for a carbon reduce certification programme. This consists of annual membership fees of $8,450 and annual carbon audit fees of $4,549. The TEC joined the Toitū Envirocare carbon reduce certification programme in April 2023 and have paid $8,450 annual membership fees in May each year since. The TEC have not yet been invoiced for 2023/24 carbon audit fees (audit carried out in July 2024). The TEC expects the 2023/24 carbon audit fees to be in line with the Contract for Services. The TEC 2022/23 audit fees (paid in September 2023) were $6,510 as they included both the base year (2018/19) and the 2022/23-year audit. The TEC also paid a one-off joining fee of $1,480 in May 2023.