We've published a Controller update on Government spending in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

On 25 March 2020, Parliament passed legislation in response to the pandemic authorising the Government to spend up to $52 billion in addition to that already authorised for 2019/20.

The Government also invoked emergency legislation allowing it to approve emergency expenditure for a four-week period, if required, without needing any further authority from Parliament. These are the established and appropriate legislative provisions to use, as the Government acts to minimise the harm to New Zealand and New Zealanders from the pandemic.

Given the scale of this event, the substantial funding available for the COVID-19 crisis, the pace of the Government’s emergency response, and the extraordinary conditions under which the public sector is operating, we will be giving special attention to the COVID-19 expenditure.

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