Treasury not being slashed

The slashing of the civil service has not extended to Treasury, the department which advises the Government on financial matters.

The estimates and appropriations for the year to June 30, 2010 show a departmental budget for Treasury of $65.496 million, which is up from $60.667m in the previous year.

Line-by-line departmental reviews have freed up $2 billion over the next four years, Finance Minister Bill English said.

A combined $454m has been identified in the remainder of this financial year.