Jo Raphael: Why you should care about the Budget

OPINION

What is the Budget and why should we care about it?

Like any business or household, the Government operates on a fixed income.

And like businesses, the Government must be transparent in how it spends its money.

You and me – the taxpayers - are the key stakeholders in this country and we must be kept apprised of where this money is going.

This is why we need to care about the Budget - all Kiwis will be impacted.

With all of us looking for a way out of this Covid-19 nightmare, now's the time to be taking a little notice.

Locally, I'm sure our tourism and hospitality sectors will be paying close attention.

However, today's Budget isn't likely to be a "lolly scramble", experts have warned.

Dubbed the recovery and wellbeing Budget there is unlikely to be any surprises around the usual essential sectors such as infrastructure, health, social security and welfare, and education.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson with a copy of his Wellbeing Budget 2021. Photo / NZME

The Government has also indicated that other priorities are likely to be health and economic response to Covid-19 through the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund - which was set up at last year's Budget - through which it is already making investments.

Child wellbeing, climate change and housing affordability are also in its targets, with the Government signaling a new financial assistance package to help Māori get into home ownership.

Tourism, decimated by Covid, has already received a $200 million boost to help secure its future.

However, locals we spoke to ahead of today's Budget have said it's not all about throwing money at problems – they need to see a plan, a way out of the mess.

I agree, what is the end-goal here?

Can local businesses look ahead to 12 months or even two years down the track and still see themselves as viable?

Local publican and Hospitality New Zealand Bay of Plenty branch president Reg Hennessy said there were three key issues: immigration, Rotorua's homelessness problem and wages.

Tauranga's Waimarino Group director Blair Anderson echoed Hennessy's sentiments, saying the Bay of Plenty tourism sector needed to see a plan.

"There's no plan, there's no future, hope. At the moment tourism is in a holding pattern."

We should care, because we gave the Labour Government a mandate in the previous election by voting them in with enough power to govern alone – it's time now to see their ideas, will they give us hope and a way forward?