The Finance and Expenditure Committee (known as the Public Accounts Committee until 1962, and as the Public Expenditure Committee, from 1962) is a select committee of the House of Representatives, the unicameral chamber of the New Zealand Parliament, responsible for matters relating to the audit of the financial statements of the Government and departments, Government finance, revenue, and taxation. The committee is currently established by Standing Order 189.[1]
Following a reform of the former Public Accounts Committee in 1962, the Public Expenditure Committee was established and became the most influential parliamentary committee in New Zealand, establishing "a strong reputation for itself, principally because it enjoyed powers of investigation not granted to other committees and because it attracted able and ambitious members. It was the only committee able to set up its own inquiries (without reference from the House), had subcommittees chaired by opposition members, and enjoyed the support of staff from the Legislative department (now the Office of the Clerk) as well as the Audit Office."[2]
This committee looks at business related to economic and fiscal policy, taxation, revenue, banking and finance, superannuation, insurance, Government expenditure and financial performance, and public audit.
The wide scope of the committee's oversight means a number of government ministers are answerable to the committee. The table below lists them, and their position:
| Minister | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Hon. Nicola Willis | Minister of Finance | |
| Hon. Simon Watts | Minister of Revenue | |
| Hon. Louise Upston | Minister of Social Development and Employment | |
| Hon. Casey Costello | Minister for Seniors |
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 54th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[3] [4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (6/5) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Nancy Lu | List (30) | ||
| Ryan Hamilton | Hamilton East | ||
| Stuart Smith (Chairperson) | Kaikōura | ||
| Catherine Wedd (Deputy chairperson) | Tukituki | ||
| Todd Stephenson | List (4) | ||
| Jamie Arbuckle | List (6) | ||
| Barbara Edmonds | Mana | ||
| Deborah Russell | List (22) | ||
| Megan Woods | Wigram | ||
| Chlöe Swarbrick | Auckland Central | ||
| Rawiri Waititi | Waiariki | ||
The following table lists the membership of the committee at the conclusion of the 53rd Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (7/4) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| David Clark (Deputy chairperson) | Dunedin | ||
| Ingrid Leary (Chairperson) | Taieri | ||
| Anna Lorck | Tukituki | ||
| Dan Rosewarne | List (56) | ||
| Phil Twyford | Te Atatū | ||
| Helen White | List (48) | ||
| Chlöe Swarbrick | Auckland Central | ||
| Andrew Bayly | Port Waikato | ||
| Simon Watts | North Shore | ||
| Nicola Willis | List (13) | ||
| Damien Smith | List (10) | ||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 52nd Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (7/6) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Kiri Allan | List (21) | ||
| Tāmati Coffey | Waiariki | ||
| Greg O'Connor | Ōhāriu | ||
| Deborah Russell (Chairperson) | New Lynn | ||
| Jamie Strange | List (36) | ||
| Duncan Webb | Christchurch Central | ||
| Fletcher Tabuteau (Deputy chairperson) | List (4) | ||
| Andrew Bayly | Hunua | ||
| David Carter | List (3) | ||
| Paul Goldsmith | List (18) | ||
| Todd McClay | Rotorua | ||
| Michael Woodhouse | List (10) | ||
| David Seymour | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 50th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (6/5) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Maggie Barry | |||
| David Bennett | |||
| Paul Goldsmith (Deputy chairperson) | List (30) | ||
| John Hayes | |||
| Todd McClay (Chairperson) | Rotorua | ||
| Nick Smith | |||
| David Clark | |||
| Clayton Cosgrove | List (8) | ||
| David Parker | List (4) | ||
| Winston Peters | List (1) | ||
| Russel Norman | List (2) | ||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 44th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (4/3) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Max Bradford | |||
| Ian Revell | |||
| Ruth Richardson (Chairperson) | |||
| Tony Ryall | |||
| Michael Cullen | |||
| Peter Dunne | |||
| Elizabeth Tennet | |||
Richardson resigned in July 1994 and was replaced by John Robertson as a member and Bradford as chairperson.
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 43rd Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[6] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (4/3) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Max Bradford | |||
| Peter Gresham | |||
| Murray McCully | |||
| Gail McIntosh | |||
| David Caygill | |||
| Peter Dunne | |||
| Elizabeth Tennet | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 42nd Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (3/2) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Clive Matthewson | |||
| Jim Sutton (Chairperson) | |||
| Elizabeth Tennet | |||
| Doug Kidd | |||
| Ruth Richardson | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 41st Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (7/5) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Jim Anderton | |||
| David Butcher | |||
| Peter Dunne | |||
| Fred Gerbic | |||
| Annette King | |||
| Peter Nielson (Chairperson) | |||
| Fran Wilde | |||
| Warren Cooper | |||
| Michael Cox | |||
| John Falloon | |||
| Don McKinnon | |||
| Robert Muldoon | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 40th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (7/5) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| John Banks | |||
| Philip Burdon | |||
| Michael Cox | |||
| Pat Hunt | |||
| Don McKinnon | |||
| Ian McLean (Chairperson) | |||
| Marilyn Waring | |||
| David Butcher | |||
| Ann Hercus | |||
| Peter Nielson | |||
| Stan Rodger | |||
| Bob Tizard | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 39th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (6/4) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Michael Cox | |||
| Dail Jones | |||
| Doug Kidd | |||
| Don McKinnon | |||
| Ian McLean | |||
| Marilyn Waring (Chairperson) | |||
| Kerry Burke | |||
| Mick Connelly | |||
| Roger Douglas | |||
| Ann Hercus | |||
The following table lists the membership of the committee during the 37th Parliament:
| New Zealand House Finance and Expenditure Committee[11] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Majority: Government (6/4) | |||
| Party | Member | Electorate | |
| Roger Drayton | |||
| Jonathan Hunt | |||
| Brian MacDonell | |||
| Jack Ridley | |||
| Bill Rowling | |||
| Murray Smith | |||
| George Gair | |||
| Frank Gill | |||
| Peter Gordon | |||
| Robert Muldoon | |||