Mount Maunganui technical officer Tessa Hunter:
"To be honest, there are a lot of overwhelming numbers which are hard for a normal person to understand out of context. It's good to see that they are trying to protect the surplus which could have been tempting to dig into in election year. Adjusting the tax thresholds will be really good news for a lot of people, and it makes sense with inflation. The biggest disappointment was DoC wasn't allocated the extra funding they really need, especially with more than 3000 native species at risk, and there was no 'leg-up' for first-home buyers."
Bethlehem retiree John and his wife Judi Hodgson:
"It's wonderful to see beneficiaries like ourselves being helped as every extra dollar makes a big difference in our household. While the Working for Families and Accommodation Supplement increases won't personally benefit us, it will be a big help for our children and grandchildren. While we applaud the increase in the health budget, it's a pittance compared to money spent in other areas. Significant numbers of retired people can't afford medical insurances and struggle to meet the cost of visiting their GP. I need to look more closer at the details but I think there are a lot of funding gaps in this Budget."
Beneficiary:
Tauranga mum Maxine Paterson has three children.
"It's so good to see that accommodation allowance is going up for most, but I feel it should happen now to help those that need the money right now. Brilliant that pensioners are getting an increase, but it needs to be a lot more money. Also great to see Working for Families tax credits will rise, excellent. But such a shame insurance premiums will go up. Fabulous students will get more too but probably not enough for most. Overall a good Budget which seems to cater for middle and lower class. But a shame it won't come into effect now, especially the new housing and accommodation allowance."
Brookfield Young Family:
Hemi Tipene and his wife have four children, plus care for two foster children.
"I have mixed emotions about this Budget. On one hand, it delivered some good things but I was astounded particularly about the Working for Families and Accommodation Supplement changes. Some families will obviously be better off, but I'm not entirely convinced that our family will benefit. I do however think it's great to see people on Super getting extra assistance. I think the 10 per cent extra for police staff is too low as police are struggling with some big issues including tackling our P epidemic. One glaring gap in the Budget is the lack of funding for teen suicide prevention."