At least two dozen spending announcements totalling hundreds of millions of dollars were made in the build-up to yesterday's Budget.
The practice - in sharp contrast to the secrecy of former years - is designed to generate positive headlines in the weeks before the Minister of Finance unveils the Budget documents.
Last
week the Government pushed through a tax increase on some spirits - a move which, had it been made yesterday, could have dominated reaction. .
The list of spending announcements:
* $56 million to get young people into training, education or work - 15 to 19-year-olds, more apprenticeships from 2006, work placements, over four years.
* $15.2 million more for preservation of heritage sites, over four years.
* $400,000 to Youthline over four years.
* $2.65 million to best practice teaching, over four years
* $14.5 million to National Radio over four years
* $19 million for pay rise for defence forces.
* $162,000 annual funding for health and safety in employment advisory committee.
* $19.8 million to lower primary health care costs for under 18s, part of $165 million to continue primary health care strategy in 2003-2004, plus another $8 million this year for PHO funding adjustment.
* $78 million to NCEA, NZQA over four years.
* $3.6 million over four years for community and voluntary groups.
* $85 million extra for industry training over four years.
* $28.2 million to Families Commission legislation, over four years
* $167 million extra for teachers, to take ratio to 1:20, over four years.
* $8.6 million for social science research funding.
* $5.9 million next year, $1.9 million in future years for security, counter-terrorism and emergency response, to MFAT, plus $2 million for Pacific Security Fund.
* $2 million over four years for victim support.
* Probation Service budget up by $8 million 2003/2004, rising to $11.3 million in following year.
* $2.6 million over four years for drug abuse and suicide prevention.
* $550,000 for infrastructure stocktake.
* $620,000 annual funding plus $250,000 start-up for Christchurch youth residential treatment centre.
* Medical student funding up from 285 to 325 students a year.
* $15 million to boost NZ's tourism market share in US, over three years.
* $20 million to international aid budget, 45 per cent going to Pacific.
Herald Feature: Budget
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