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Grant Robertson is defending the Government's multi-million dollar spend-up on Three Waters consultants.

Newstalk ZB can reveal in the last financial year, $16 million has been paid to contractors working on the reforms.

National is questioning the bill, in particular the $15,000 spent on creating a job description for the yet-to-be named Chief Executive for the new Water Entity.

The Finance Minister told Mike HoskingThree Waters is a massive undertaking.

\u201cWe\u2019re tlaking about something that\u2019s going to be billions and billions of dollars of work over the next few years. It\u2019s a specialty area, we need to we get the right people in to make sure we do it right.\u201d

The Department of Internal Affairs admits the total spend on consultants is higher than usual, but says Three Waters reforms is large and complex, and experts with the right skills were needed.

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