Budget 2018 - Scoop Full Coverage
The 2018 New Zealand Budget will be delivered on Thursday 17 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.
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[Labour's December 2017 Budget update - link] - BUDGET 2017 - BUDGET 2016 - BUDGET 2015 - BUDGET 2014 - BUDGET 2013 - BUDGET 2012 - BUDGET 2011 - BUDGET 2010 - BUDGET 2009 - BUDGET 2008 - BUDGET 2007 - BUDGET 2007 - BUDGET 2006 - BUDGET 2005 - BUDGET 2004 - BUDGET 2003 - BUDGET 2002 - BUDGET 2001 & BUDGET 2000
BUDGET 2018 - SCOOP COMMENTARY / REPORTS
Even the name sounds conservative doesn’t it? In other words – don’t expect too much now – it’s all about the long game
here with an eye to 2020 – this first budget by Jacinda Ardern’s Government is all about playing it safe. The budget
documents stress repeatedly that this is a fiscally responsible budget as well as one focused on the future. More>>
The government will extend free doctors visits' and prescriptions to under-14s and also make visits cheaper for people
eligible for a Community Services Card. However, ahead of the election Labour promised to slash the cost of doctors'
visits for everybody by $10 by July, but since conceded it wouldn't meet that goal. More>>
May 17 (BusinessDesk) - Finance Minister Grant Robertson has found an extra $24 billion to spend over the next four
years by taking in more tax, reprioritising existing expenses, and thanks to delaying the previous government's debt
reduction target ... More>>
ALSO:NZ capital spend shifted to health, education from transportNZ govt tilts debt profile to long-term maturitiesBUDGET 2018: Govt sets aside $1 bln for R tax creditNew watchdogs for election spending promisesMycoplasma bovis response likely to need ‘significant’ spendConstruction sector bottleneck threatens growthProdCom to investigate impacts of disruptive technology
BUDGET 2018 - THE REACTION - FULL COVERAGE
From Parliament:
Government/Labour
GreensJames Shaw budget speechMarama Davidson 2018 Budget speechGreenest budget in living memory delivers for environment
NZ First
Non-Parliamentary Political Reaction:Maori Party - Where’s Whānau Ora in Labour’s Families Package?Auckland Council - Phil Goff welcomes Budget spending for AucklandWellington City Council - Mayor says Budget 2018 will complement Wellington's workChristchurch City Council - Budget good news for ChristchurchChristchurch NZ - Christchurch welcomes Budget 2018 announcement - What the 2018 Budget means for Christchurch - ChristchurchNZ 2018 Budget commentaryKaikoura District Council - Council welcomes government funding for recoveryNZ Taxpayers' Union - Treasury predict average working paying top tax rate by 2022 - New Green-tint corporate welfare scheme mistaken - Why just bloodstock? - A billion dollars a year for 900 fewer tertiary students - Budget win for the Taxpayers’ Union - Labour delivers predictable budget in sweet economic times - Megan Woods breaks word – gives into Callaghan self-interestThe NZ Initiative - New Zealand Initiative welcomes new fiscal watchdog
SOEs, etcStatistics NZ - Extra Stats NZ funding will improve child poverty dataRadio NZ - RNZ Welcomes Investment in Public MediaEECA - EECA welcomes Government investment in warmer Kiwi homesNZ On Air - NZ On Air encouraged by boost to public media in Budget 2018 Health Sector Reaction:Association of Salaried Medical Specialists - Relief for public health in sight but a lot more neededThe Royal NZ College of GPs - Good news for patients ahead of World Family Doctor DayNZ Private Surgical Hospitals Association - Private hospitals offer to cut surgical waiting listsAlzheimers NZ - Significant healthcare challenge ignored in BudgetAlliance Health Plus - Health Budget Only 40% of Coalition CommitmentsNZ Breast Cancer Foundation - “Heartening news for breast cancer patients"PHARMAC - Uplift in PHARMAC’s funding welcomedMedicines NZ - Rationing medicines by stealth with budget announcement
Education Sector Reaction:NZEI - Education Budget a major disappointment for educatorsEarly Childhood Council - Budget funding for early childhood education underwhelmingNZ Kindergartens - Well-being of children and families a welcome focusEarly Childhood NZ - Early Childhood NZ says Budget 2018 a small stepPPTA - Budget puts big challenges in secondary education asideIHC - Learning support funding 'just tinkers around the edges'Universities NZ - Te Pokai Tara - Budget a missed opportunity, say universities
Science and Tech Sector Reaction:Science Media Centre NZ - Budget 2018: Science and research - Expert ReactionScience NZ - Greater science investment to grow NZ wealth and wellbeing
Union Reaction:Public Service Association - PSA: Budget shows promise but more courage neededCTU - First Government Budget hits all the right notesPolice Association - Budget cements critically needed extra policeFIRST Union - Funding could protect thousands of migrant workers
Welfare/Poverty Sector ReactionTe Pou Matakana - Budget of broken promises for Whānau OraSave The Children - Budget’s Positive Impact on Children WelcomedSocial Services Providers Aotearoa - Essential child and family services miss out on reliefAuckland Action Against Poverty - The Government’s Budget fails people on benefitsSalvation Army - Budget Not the Big Hit NeededGrandparents Raising Grandchildren - Clothing allowance for children welcomed with open armsVariety - The Children's Charity - Variety response to BudgetKidsCan - KidsCan government funding to continue for 12 monthsBarnardos - Barnardos welcomes Budget 2018 and its positive impactNZCCSS - Support for Many, But Social Services Will still StruggleCaritas - Caritas welcomes Budget direction
Finance, Tax & Analysis:Deloitte - Deloitte - Budget 2018: The gift that keeps on giving - our economy - Budget 2018: New spending for health - Recalibrating the Budget for wellbeingStaples Rodway - R tax credits good news in a construction economyMYOB - R businesses big winners from Budget 2018
Business ReactionExportNZ - Budget impact on Exporters and ManufacturersEMA - Budget 2018: Long on welfare, short on productivityBusinessNZ - Budget 2018 and businessIndustry Training Federation of NZ - Budget 2018 has no action on skillsMaster Plumbers - Budget fails to fill plumbing pipelineThe Manufacturers' Network - Budget 2018: Not bad, but not much for manufacturersTourism Industry Association - Budget 2018 not positive for tourismInfrastructure NZ - Budget in line with infrastructure expectationsWellington Chamber Of Commerce - Budget 2018 - ‘as expected’ says business
EnvironmentGreenpeace NZ - Why is Govt subsidising agricultural pollution?Environmental Defence Society - EDS congratulates Government on DOC funding increases
Other ReactionBetter Public Media - Labour’s public media policies must not repeat mistakesPeople Against Prisons Aotearoa - Budget pours more money into failed criminal justice systemCommunity Law Centres - Community Law Celebrates Government Top-up
Lockup speech audio and questions:
Click a link to play audio (or right-click to download) in either
The Budget Speech
SummariesBetter lives for children a focus of Budget 2018Foundations for the futureStrong Government finances and a strong economy
Fact Sheets
Infrastructure & EconomyGrowing a sustainable and productive primary sectorResource Management Act oversight unit to be establishedProvincial New Zealand wins big
MaoriBringing back manaakitangaFocus on supporting Māori students and strengthening te reoMāori Development focuses on housing, training and whenuaInvesting in our rangatahi
EducationHundreds of new classrooms and 1,500 new teachersThousands benefiting from fees-free post-school educationEarly learning services get first funding rate increaseLong overdue boost for learning support
Law, Order, Defence & SecurityFocusing on community safety and targeting organised crimeNew focus on re-integration to reduce re-offendingBetter support for youth justice and victims of crimeStrengthening our hand against migrant exploitationStepping up to help survivors of sexual abuseBudget improves cyber threat responseProtecting communities by targeting drug smugglersEnhancing Defence Force capability
Art, Culture And SportSupporting quality public media in New ZealandRecognising the importance of our arts, culture and heritageBloodstock tax rules to changeSupport for safe and healthy local communities
Trade and Foreign AffairsStronger biosecurity to protect primary sector
Earthquake Rebuild(s)Taking action to sort out insurance and EQC MessDelivering for Canterbury
Other StuffNew services to support refugees
BUDGET 2018 PREVIEWS & REACTION
Government Pre-Budget Announcements:Budget boost for young children with extra learning needsBacking Nature – funding a future for native speciesBudget 2018 to invest $42 billion in capital spendingSignificant funding boost for family violence servicesBudget strengthens trade effortNew Zealand to boost development spendingFirst Steps – restoring New Zealand’s Foreign ServiceGovt surplus above forecast as books remain strong$100 million to tackle homelessnessBudget 2018 to set out plan to future-proof NZ economyRemarks to the Otago Chamber of CommerceGovt heeding call for unrelenting focus on child wellbeingGovt accounts show surplus above forecastChild Poverty reduction target unchanged following revisions
BusinessDesk Pre-Budget Coverage:NZ dollar climbs from 5-month low ahead of budgetCA ANZ survey finds most oppose fuel taxRobertson affirms Budget 2018 includes $42B over 5 yearsTreasury still feeling way on govt's wellbeing' frameworkNZ operating surplus swelled by tax revenuePM Ardern appeals to business on transformative policyRobertson seeks further cuts to existing spendingStrong govt books offer scope to meet infrastructure deficitArdern warns some new policies 'reprioritised'NZ govt operating surplus still tracking aheadRobertson unmoved by call to scrap 'budget responsibility'Needs mean 'budget responsibility rules' too tight: CTU
Radio NZ Budget Previews:What to expect from the 2018 Budget - our experts weigh inTertiary providers and unions hope for further funding boostBudget 2018: Can new govt keep promises on housing?ECE funding boost doesn't go far enough, govt toldBudget 2018: Can new govt deliver on education?Budget 2018: Can the govt deliver on its health promises?Pacific aid boost must be spent well to be effectivePacific aid boost 'shows the lie' in govt's social deficit claimsGovt finances $900m better than forecastArdern speech aims to soothe businessesBudget the real test of new governmentGovt has freed up $700m in Budget - MinisterNational rubbishes claims it neglected govt booksGovt expects '75% compliance' on foreign GST it can't police
From Budget Week:Multimedia report - PM's Press Conference 14/5/18: Acting UpThe Conversation - NZ budget 2018: election promises and real-life testsAaron Martin - The Government’s rock and hard placeNational - High expectations for education budget - Triple whammy broken promise on extra police - KiwiBuild houses $50,000 more than Govt claimed - Govt blame-game getting tired - When will they start listening? - Income gap with Australia about to widen - More focus needed on reforming learning support - Environment struggles with Winston’s diplomat win - Is that it Mr Robertson? - KiwiBuild looking like yet another broken promiseACT - How would a Bridges-led Govt be different? - Free Press: The ‘Boondoggle Budget’PSA - Children’s Village closures send a sad signal - "Think beyond Band-Aids", PSA urges GovernmentHapai Te Hauora - Māori Public Health Budget 2018 Wishlist - NZ agrees - increase tax revenue for better public servicesREINZ - REINZ calls for housing shortage to be tackled in budgetBeneficiary Advisory Service - BAS’ Vision for Beneficiaries (part 4): IndividualsAssociation of Salaried Medical Specialists - Fingers crossed for the budget - Call to abolish capital charges on DHBsChartered Accountants Australia and NZ - Fuel tax gets massive thumbs down in surveyCTU - Government facing over $2.5 billion health funding gapStaples Rodway - Business leaders pessimistic about the BudgetChild Poverty Action Group - Budget 2018: Best opportunity to benefit all childrenWellington City Council - Wellington Mayor backs Govt spending for predator controlForest And Bird - Ten-fold increase in predator control greatNZEI - Education Budget 2018: Fixing the damage of the pastInfrastructure NZ - Delivery key to record $42 billion capital programmeHutchwilco NZ Boat Show - Boat Show Unlikely to Be Affected by Distractions
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