58313 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Māori Development

58313 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister for Māori Development: 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 christmas, holiday, end of year, and any other types of celebratory functions or parties during November and December in 2020?

Hon Tama Potaka: I am advised that in 2020, 2021 and 2022 Te Puni Kōkiri permanent kaimahi were eligible for a maximum $25 per head Christmas event subsidy. In 2023 this subsidy was discontinued as part of a savings initiative. I am further advised that Te Puni Kōkiri does not report and track expenditure for Christmas events, end of year celebratory functions and that searching for such information for specific months from 2020 to date would require Te Puni Kōkiri to undertake a substantial manual collation exercise and divert staff from their core duties. In accordance with Speaker’s Ruling 199-3, 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.