58563 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Health

58563 (2025). Francisco Hernandez to the Minister of Health: 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 2022?

Hon Simeon Brown: I am advised that budgets for Christmas, holiday, end-of-year, and other celebratory functions or parties are not available in the Ministry’s information systems prior to 2023/24. However, it is understood that the budget for 2022 was $10,000. I am further advised that the Ministry spent $2,909 (excl. GST) on such functions in November and December 2022. I am further advised that Health New Zealand allowed $20 per person, for food and venue – not including alcohol. Many events are on site, so there is no venue cost. I am advised that information on actual spend is not captured under one account code, and to obtain that information would require substantial manual collation.