'Misses the mark': Budget 2022 winners and losers in Hawke's Bay

Finance Minister Grant Robertson released the 2022 Budget on Thursday. Photo / NZME

Finance Minister Grant Robertson released the 2022 Budget on Thursday which included $5.9 billion worth of spending over the next year.

Hawke's Bay Today has dissected the biggest winners and losers from across the region.

That includes what the Government plans to do (and not do) to curb surging living costs, and a record boost for the health sector.

A Hawke's Bay financial expert has also given his views, saying the Budget "misses the mark".

WINNERS

Health sector
An extra $191 million over the next two years so Pharmac can buy more medicines for Kiwis; $168m to the Māori Health Authority for direct commissioning of services; $166m over four years for improved ambulance services including 48 new ambulances; $100m investment in specialist mental health and addiction services; $1.3 billion for a range of new and existing projects to improve hospital infrastructure (although no new major projects announced at Hawke's Bay Hospital).

Railway network
A $349m investment which includes buying 29 new mainline locomotives and 140 wagons to help move more freight by rail.

Fuel tax cut
The package extends the 25c a litre fuel tax cut and half-price public transport.

Crackdown on truancy
Millions of dollars have been allocated to address attendance and truancy issues in schools, which includes a regional response fund.
The Government has also committed to building 280 more classrooms at 40 schools. It is unclear at this stage which Hawke's Bay schools could benefit.

Climate change response
$2.9b invested over four years into the emissions reduction plan.

Family, sexual violence prevention
An additional $114.5m over four years to help eliminate family violence and sexual violence.

Police
Police and Corrections will get $562m over the next four years including to help tackle gang-related crime.

Despite a big boost in funding for the health sector, there were no big upgrades announced for Hawke's Bay Hospital. Photo / Warren Buckland

LOSERS

Struggling Kiwis
A $350 "cost of living payment" for roughly two million Kiwis was a major announcement as part of Budget 2022.
However, rising living costs have piled pressure on many low- and middle-income earners struggling to make ends meet, and it is unlikely to do enough to significantly support them.
People are eligible for the payment if they earn under $70,000 in income (and are not eligible to receive the Winter Energy Payment) and it will be paid out over instalments from August.

Hawke's Bay Hospital
A huge boost in funding for the health sector was announced as part of Budget 2022.
That included major projects for hospitals in Whangārei, Nelson and Christchurch.
However, no new major projects were announced for Hawke's Bay Hospital, which is in need of improvement.

"Misses the mark"

Stewart Group financial adviser and CEO Nick Stewart, from Hawke's Bay, said the Budget should have done more to address living costs.

"This Budget misses the mark and the Government has misread the room," he said.

"People are not interested in climate change when they can't feed their families, pay their bills and fuel their cars.

"The Cost of Living package sees 81 per cent of people in New Zealand essentially become beneficiaries, rather than a plan to tackle inflation."

He added half-price public transport did not help people in Hawke's Bay much.

"The majority of Hawke's Bay residents use their cars to get to work as transport is scant and the network is poor."

He said tax cuts or tax threshold relief could have been included.