Treasury to Correct Mistake in Budget Appropriations Discovered by the Taxpayers' Union

The Taxpayers’ Union is breathing a sigh of relief that budget documents appropriating spending of nearly $2.4 billion on the New Zealand sheep industry were a mistake by Treasury. For context the amount is just shy of the total money spent on Education.

Taxpayers' Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says, “In reviewing the budget estimates, one of our researchers pointed out that Primary Industries appropriation for the New Zealand Sheep Industry was an extraordinary 644 times bigger than the previous year."

Treasury’s estimates suggest that last year’s $3.3 million appropriation is increasing to $2,360.9 million, or $2.4 billion. The documents were distributed to media and analysts in the Budget lock-up.

“We went straight to the Minister of Finance's office who confirmed that the amount is a mistake, and that as a result of the Taxpayers’ Union bringing it to the Government's attention, an erratum will be issued.”
More details about the error are available at www.taxpayers.org.nz.

ENDS

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