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Govt continues as usual until new one elected

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 29 Sep 2017, 5:45AM
Steven Joyce said there are limits to what they can do on behalf of the country, or their Ministries, during this time. (Photo \ Getty Images)
Steven Joyce said there are limits to what they can do on behalf of the country, or their Ministries, during this time. (Photo \ Getty Images)

Govt continues as usual until new one elected

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Fri, 29 Sep 2017, 5:45AM

It's business as usual for the caretaker Government, as the country awaits a new one.

The National Government, which has been in power for the past nine years, and all relevant Ministers who were in the posts ahead of the election, are currently continuing their jobs as normal.

But Finance Minister Steven Joyce said there are limits to what they can do on behalf of the country, or their Ministries, during this time.

"There's got to be Ministers in place, but the convention is they don't make big decisions or big new decisions during the caretaker period while a new Government is formed," Mr Joyce explained.

Things may be different if a disaster strikes, or unforeseen circumstances occur, however.

Mr Joyce said there are exceptions, like what happened when Labour was the caretaker Government and the Global Financial Crisis struck in 2008.

"Labour were having to put in place things like the deposit guarantee scheme," he said.

"They came and consulted with us before they went ahead with it to make sure it that was something both sides of politics wanted to proceed with."

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