Having just turned 78, Napier man Dave Turnbull has seen his share of budgets over the years — some good and some not so good.

Two of the darker budget events were Labour jobs which he said eventually cost it its governmental spot, but he's open-minded about what is likely to appear in this year's effort.

He said he had to be, for two reasons.

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One is that he has always looked at the overall landscape of politics and was not a "hereditary" voter — locked for life into one party. He makes his decision on what the government does.

Secondly, he said the present Labour crew had not released even a faint shred of an idea of what this budget could contain, and for whom.

"We should have been told something about it but we are not allowed to know anything and that annoys me a bit — it should not have been such a mystery."

He said that, as a pensioner and having paid taxes all his working life, it would be good to see something positive on superannuation.

While he was able to manage pretty well — having a freehold property — he said there were a lot of pensioners finding it tough to keep things going week in and week out.

"I know a lot are really struggling and that's not good."

Nor was the housing situation, particularly for young people seeking to do what he and his late wife, Moira, were able to do — buy their own home.

"They have to look at the whole housing question."

In terms of what he believed it would actually contain he said it was impossible to predict "as they haven't given any clues".

And when it came to the crucial aspect of "where are they going to get the money from?" he suspected increased taxes could be the solution, but hoped not.

In terms of the inevitable public reaction that would come down to a fairly predictable split.

"Some people will say it's good and some people will say it is not," he said.

"Right up to this time Labour has given nothing away about it — and maybe once the budget does come out it may do the same," he said with a smile.