7. Hon MARYAN STREET (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
How many human resources contracts, if any, were let by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade without tenders being invited in 2010/2011, and what criteria were used to assess non-tendered contractors?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) Link to this
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Given that something in the order of $1.2 million was spent on untendered human resources contracts alone in 2010-11, is this what the Minister meant when he said to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee that “The idea that the only people that can work for the New Zealand foreign ministry in a valuable way are full-time staff members who have been there all their lives is, frankly, outdated nonsense.”?
I am not sure that I can vouch that that is exactly the reason why, but I point out again that the ministry is responsible for those decisions and it is governed by a procurement policy and guidance for staff in relation to making those decisions that were, of course, put in place by the previous Government.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
What criteria out of those in the Minister’s answer to the substantive question did Momentum Consulting Group satisfy to earn $129,000 without tender?
I do not have information on that specific contract. If the member would like to put that to the Minister in writing, I am sure he would be happy to respond.
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
Is it “outdated nonsense” for Government ministries to keep to budgets in this time of fiscal constraint, and does that explain the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s $2.6 million blowout on contracts and consultants in 2010-11?
Hon Maryan Street Link to this
I seek leave to table annex 5, table 2 of the answers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade supplementary estimates questions on 2010-11, on expenditure on consultants and contractors.
Mr SPEAKER