Concerns NZ’s Public Health Department Managed $28 Billion Budget on Single Excel Spreadsheet

An independent report called the agency’s reliance on a single Excel spreadsheet a ’major issue' and found a lack of control over expenditure and revenue.

Stethoscope on spreadsheet paper. chormail/depositphotos

The government department responsible for New Zealand’s public health system—including hospitals, specialist services, and community care—managed its $28 billion (US$16 billion) annual budget on a single Excel spreadsheet, a situation auditors Deloitte called a “major issue.”

Health NZ was established in 2022 after the government merged the functions of 20 former District Health Boards into a single national entity with regional divisions and district offices. It is New Zealand’s largest employer.