[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Adam

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 which
was received on 16 January 2025 seeking:-

 

any advice provided by the Treasury to the Minister of Finance regarding
the economic implications of recent or planned budget cuts, with
particular focus on the following:

 

1. Impact on Aggregate Demand: How budget cuts may influence overall
demand within the economy.

2. Potential Downward Spirals in GDP: Any analysis or projections related
to the risk of negative GDP growth due to such cuts.

3. Shocks to Consumer and Business Confidence: The expected effects of
these cuts on consumer spending and business investment.

4. Historical and Current Macroeconomic Data: Relevant data and trends
from the past and present to support these analyses.

5. International Studies on Austerity: Any international studies or
evidence that the Treasury has used to assess the economic impacts of
austerity measures, including relevant comparisons with New Zealand's
situation.

6. Advice on Spending Cuts During a Private Sector Recession: Whether the
Treasury has provided advice on the impacts of implementing spending cuts
while the private sector is in recession, particularly regarding potential
effects on unemployment levels.

 

Additionally, I would like to know whether the Treasury continues to
provide free and frank advice to the Minister of Finance, as required by
its role, or if such advice has been influenced or constrained by
ministerial preferences or other political considerations.

 

A response will be provided in accordance with the Act (please see the
Office of the Ombudsman Website for more details –
http://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/).

 

The Treasury may publish the response to your Official Information Act
(OIA) request. When you are provided with a response to this request, you
will be informed about whether the response to your OIA request will be
published. If the Treasury does publish the response to your OIA request,
personal information, including your name and contact details, will be
removed. This publication process does not apply to extension letters or
transfers.

 

Regards

 

 

Te Tai Ôhanga – The Treasury

Visit us online at [1]https://treasury.govt.nz/ and follow us on
[2]Twitter, [3]LinkedIn and [4]Instagram

 

Link: [5]File-List
Link: [6]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [7]themeData
Link: [8]colorSchemeMapping

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not an intended addressee:
a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return
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b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful.

 

References

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2. http://www.twitter.com/nztreasury
3. https://www.linkedin.com/company/576138/
4. https://www.instagram.com/nztreasury/
5. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml

hide quoted sections

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Adam

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 which
was received on 16 January 2025 seeking:-

 

Any advice provided by the Treasury to the Minister of Finance regarding
the economic implications of recent or planned budget cuts, with
particular focus on the following:

 

1. Impact on Aggregate Demand: How budget cuts may influence overall
demand within the economy.

2. Potential Downward Spirals in GDP: Any analysis or projections related
to the risk of negative GDP growth due to such cuts.

3. Shocks to Consumer and Business Confidence: The expected effects of
these cuts on consumer spending and business investment.

4. Historical and Current Macroeconomic Data: Relevant data and trends
from the past and present to support these analyses.

5. International Studies on Austerity: Any international studies or
evidence that the Treasury has used to assess the economic impacts of
austerity measures, including relevant comparisons with New Zealand's
situation.

6. Advice on Spending Cuts During a Private Sector Recession: Whether the
Treasury has provided advice on the impacts of implementing spending cuts
while the private sector is in recession, particularly regarding potential
effects on unemployment levels.

 

Additionally, I would like to know whether the Treasury continues to
provide free and frank advice to the Minister of Finance, as required by
its role, or if such advice has been influenced or constrained by
ministerial preferences or other political considerations.

 

Your request is broad in scope and is likely to be refused under section
18(f) of the Official Information Act as substantial manual collation
would be required to provide the information requested.

 

As such, I would like to suggest refining your request, so we are able to
make the proper considerations on the information you are seeking. I
recommend refining your request by limiting the scope of your request to
the period between November 2023 (formation of the current government)
and May 2024 (release of Budget 2024).

 

Please confirm whether you would be happy with the suggested refinement.

 

Please note that once you have amended or clarified your request, under
section 15(1AA) of the Official Information Act, the Ministry may treat
your amended or clarified request as a new request that replaces the
original request. This may lead to a new start of the statutory response
period.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Visit us online at [1]https://treasury.govt.nz/ and follow us on
[2]Twitter, [3]LinkedIn and [4]Instagram

 

Link: [5]File-List
Link: [6]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [7]themeData
Link: [8]colorSchemeMapping

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended
only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are
not an intended addressee:
a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return
email or telephone (64 4 472 2733);
b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful.

 

References

Visible links
1. https://treasury.govt.nz/
2. http://www.twitter.com/nztreasury
3. https://www.linkedin.com/company/576138/
4. https://www.instagram.com/nztreasury/
5. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
6. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
7. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
8. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml

hide quoted sections

Kia ora Adam

 

Please advise if you have had a chance to consider our suggested
refinement of your request.

 

Regards

 

 

Visit us online at [1]https://treasury.govt.nz/ and follow us on
[2]Twitter, [3]LinkedIn and [4]Instagram

 

 

 

From: Ministerial Services Inbox [TSY]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2025 10:31 AM
To: [FOI #29762 email]
Subject: Official Information Act request acknowledgement - ref#20250020

 

[UNCLASSIFIED]

Kia ora Adam

 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 which
was received on 16 January 2025 seeking:-

 

Any advice provided by the Treasury to the Minister of Finance regarding
the economic implications of recent or planned budget cuts, with
particular focus on the following:

 

1. Impact on Aggregate Demand: How budget cuts may influence overall
demand within the economy.

2. Potential Downward Spirals in GDP: Any analysis or projections related
to the risk of negative GDP growth due to such cuts.

3. Shocks to Consumer and Business Confidence: The expected effects of
these cuts on consumer spending and business investment.

4. Historical and Current Macroeconomic Data: Relevant data and trends
from the past and present to support these analyses.

5. International Studies on Austerity: Any international studies or
evidence that the Treasury has used to assess the economic impacts of
austerity measures, including relevant comparisons with New Zealand's
situation.

6. Advice on Spending Cuts During a Private Sector Recession: Whether the
Treasury has provided advice on the impacts of implementing spending cuts
while the private sector is in recession, particularly regarding potential
effects on unemployment levels.

 

Additionally, I would like to know whether the Treasury continues to
provide free and frank advice to the Minister of Finance, as required by
its role, or if such advice has been influenced or constrained by
ministerial preferences or other political considerations.

 

Your request is broad in scope and is likely to be refused under section
18(f) of the Official Information Act as substantial manual collation
would be required to provide the information requested.

 

As such, I would like to suggest refining your request, so we are able to
make the proper considerations on the information you are seeking. I
recommend refining your request by limiting the scope of your request to
the period between November 2023 (formation of the current government)
and May 2024 (release of Budget 2024).

 

Please confirm whether you would be happy with the suggested refinement.

 

Please note that once you have amended or clarified your request, under
section 15(1AA) of the Official Information Act, the Ministry may treat
your amended or clarified request as a new request that replaces the
original request. This may lead to a new start of the statutory response
period.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Visit us online at [5]https://treasury.govt.nz/ and follow us on
[6]Twitter, [7]LinkedIn and [8]Instagram

 

Link: [9]File-List
Link: [10]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [11]themeData
Link: [12]colorSchemeMapping

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE

The information in this email is confidential to the Treasury, intended
only for the addressee(s), and may also be legally privileged. If you are
not an intended addressee:
a. please immediately delete this email and notify the Treasury by return
email or telephone (64 4 472 2733);
b. any use, dissemination or copying of this email is strictly prohibited
and may be unlawful.

 

References

Visible links
1. https://treasury.govt.nz/
2. http://www.twitter.com/nztreasury
3. https://www.linkedin.com/company/576138/
4. https://www.instagram.com/nztreasury/
5. https://treasury.govt.nz/
6. http://www.twitter.com/nztreasury
7. https://www.linkedin.com/company/576138/
8. https://www.instagram.com/nztreasury/
9. file:///tmp/Signature_files/filelist.xml
10. file:///tmp/Signature_files/editdata.mso
11. file:///tmp/Signature_files/themedata.thmx
12. file:///tmp/Signature_files/colorschememapping.xml

hide quoted sections