The 2016 New Zealand Budget will be delivered on Thursday 25 May.
Scoop will be updating this page with Budget announcements, reaction and analysis once the Budget is released at 2pm. Hit reload to see the latest version.
It may seem like Oliver to be so bold as to ask the Finance Minister for more gruel – but what the Dickens, Steven Joyce… is this Budget really as good as it gets?
Supposedly, the public was going to receive significant rewards – an election year lolly scramble no less – for the eight years of belt tightening that they’ve endured, and for the rundown of essential public services.
Well, what Budget 2017 delivered instead in Education and in Health were allocations barely sufficient to maintain the current levels of service delivery More>>
Tax cuts for every working New Zealander, targeted to low and middle income earners, more generous assistance for families and renters, and a massive spend-up on public services infrastructure mark Finance Minister Steven Joyce’s election year Budget.
The package of changes to income tax thresholds, the Working for Families programme, and the Accommodation Supplement is the Budget’s political centrepiece and will cost $2 billion a year. More>> ALSO:
Budget Urgency: Not Much Budget Urgency
The House has gone into Urgency to deal with two pieces of legislation.
• the first reading and referral to select committee of the Care and Support Workers (Pay Equity) Settlement Bill
• the introduction and passing of the Taxation (Budget Measures: Family Incomes Package) Bill More>>
Alan Johnson from the Salvation Army says tax changes in the budget benefit higher paid people more than lower paid... Both Johnson and CTU economist Bill Rosenberg say the increase in the accommodation supplement will lead to rent rises. More>> ALSO:
Mr Joyce said the election on September 23 did not play a part in designing his budget. “I know the election’s coming up, but I’m strongly of the view that, that actually, you don’t change your approach just because it’s election year.” More>> ALSO:
Cutting New Zealand's 28 percent corporate tax rate is "not a panacea in the way business groups sometimes market it," says Prime Minister Bill English.
Responding to criticisms from the business community that the Budget had ignored the trend in other developed economies for lower corporate tax rates, English said New Zealand's was an unusually "comprehensive, fair" tax system. More>>
The Green Party has a plan to help all Kiwi kids have a great start to life, by giving parents more financial support and more flexibility at work. More>> ALSO:
Additional grant funding of $26.7 million over the next three years plus a capital boost of $63 million towards irrigation investments in Budget 2017 will deliver economic and environmental benefits through better use of water... More>> ALSO:
TRENZ: $178m Budget Package For Tourism Infrastructure
Tourism Minister Paula Bennett has today announced a new $102 million Tourism Infrastructure Fund which has been launched alongside $76 million in new funding for our most important tourism asset, the DOC Estate. More>> ALSO:
Budget: Funding Boost For New Zealand’s Heritage
Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne today announced funding of $8 million of operating funding over the next two years and $2.1 million of capital funding in the next year in Budget 2017 to safeguard New Zealand’s heritage collections and record of Government. More>> ALSO:
Opposed To Surpluses: ACT’s Tax Cut Plan
“ACT’s fundamental belief is that the Government should spend less of your money. The Government is currently forecasting fat surpluses. This excess revenue should be returned to the taxpayer that earned it. More>> ALSO:
Increased revenue from taxes and lower expenses boosted the government's operating surplus above its forecasts in the first nine months of the financial year. More>> ALSO:
Budget 2017: $76m For DOC Tourism Infrastructure
The Government will invest $76 million through Budget 2017 on new and upgraded tourism infrastructure for the Department of Conservation as part of a $178 million tourism infrastructure package, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says. More>> ALSO:
Budget 2017: $74.6m To Further Grow Business R&D
Paul Goldsmith has today announced an additional $74.6 million in Budget 2017 to meet the growing demand for Callaghan Innovation’s research and development (R&D) Growth Grants. More>> ALSO:
PM's Press Conference: Myrtle Rust, Australia, And Foreign Affairs
Prime Minister Bill English smiled as he opened today’s press conference saying there are only just over two weeks until the government will announce their budget. He quickly outlined some of the budget announcements already made then went on to answer questions. More>> ALSO:
Budget 2017: $27m For Marae And Māori Housing
“Our marae are the glue that binds us together, anchoring us in one place and helping shape who we are. As we have seen recently with the Kaikōura earthquake and the Edgecumbe flood, they also step up to the plate in the times of need,” says Mr Flavell. More>> ALSO:
Budget 2017: $60 Million More For Pharmac
“On top of the Government’s extra $20 million next year, a further $11 million will be injected into Pharmac’s annual budget by DHBs." More>> ALSO:
$321m For 'Social Investment': Bill English Pre-Budget Speech
"...That growing economy gives us options. Improving public services, building infrastructure, and solving social problems is possible only because we’ve enjoyed sustained, solid economic growth." More>> ALSO:
PM's Press Conference 01/05/17: Pike River Mine Video
Today Prime Minister Bill English announced the Government are putting the finishing touches on the budget, highlighting growth and spending on infrastructure... Questions around the Pike River Mine incident dominated. More>> ALSO:
$11bn Capital Spend, New Debt Target: Steven Joyce On Budget Priorities
First, delivering better public services for a growing country – providing all New Zealanders with the opportunity to lead successful independent lives... And finally, we remain committed to reducing the tax burden and in particular the impact of marginal tax rates on lower and middle income earners, when we have the room to do so. More>> ALSO:
Gordon Campbell: On Yesterday’s Budget
Pre-Budget Offers: Green Party’s New Plan Puts Kiwi Families First
Budget: Irrigate (Good Times, Come On!)
TRENZ: $178m Budget Package For Tourism Infrastructure
Budget: Funding Boost For New Zealand’s Heritage
Budget: Double Crewing For Road Ambulance
Crown Accounts: Increased Taxes, Lower Spend Helps Swell Government Coffers
Budget 2017: $76m For DOC Tourism Infrastructure
Budget 2017: $74.6m To Further Grow Business R&D
PM's Press Conference: Myrtle Rust, Australia, And Foreign Affairs
Budget 2017: $27m For Marae And Māori Housing
Budget 2017: $60 Million More For Pharmac
Lyndon Hood: The Social Investment Model, Explained
$321m For 'Social Investment': Bill English Pre-Budget Speech