Finance Minister Bill English during his presentation at the Budget 2015 lock-up at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
As expected, the 2015 Budget sparked a storm on Twitter from both the left and the right.
The most talked-about issues this afternoon included cuts to Kiwisaver, benefit increases, travel levies and Labour leader Andrew Little's ill-advised comparison of the Budget to gender reassignment surgery.
The beginning of the Budget coverage was somewhat overshadowed by an announcement from MediaWorks that John Campbell would be leaving Campbell Live, following much speculation.
It was described as a "low low low and cynical move" by @Shab_d and Herald journalist Matt Nippert pointed out that the announcement from MediaWorks "literally came at the same moment the budget embargo lifted".
Decision on @CampbellLiveNZ right as #budget2015 is happening. Low low low and cynical move.
— Shabnam Dastgheib (@Shab_d) May 21, 2015
News of John Campbell's dropping from Campbell Live literally came at the same moment the budget embargo lifted. https://t.co/qb79XqZmXe
— Matt Nippert (@MattNippert) May 21, 2015
Today's budget revealed the wiping of the $1000 government kick-start to Kiwisaver, which many Twitter users were unimpressed by.
Goddammit, I should have signed up the kids to Kiwisaver already. They just lost a thousand dollars. :/
— ๐ฅ ๐ณ๐ฟ Rayna James Dio (@dimsie) May 21, 2015
Others were relieved they had already signed up to the program, @ThomedyAdams tweeting, "It helped a lot getting into our first house".
How much attention is the axing of the 1K Kiwistarter boost going to get? It helped a lot getting into our first house. #budget2015
— ThomedySci (@ThomedySci) May 21, 2015
Definitely glad I got my kiwisaver started last year... #budget2015
— Richmond T (@rrichiee) May 21, 2015
But not all felt the $1000 kickstart was deserved in the first place.
It was also announced that beneficiary families and low-income working families would get a boost of up to $25 a week as part of a child hardship package - which many saw as surprising for the right-wing National Party.
Russell Brown of Public Address tweeted "Introducing policies they campaigned against seems to be National's actual strategy."
Introducing policies they campaigned against seems to be National's actual strategy.
— Russell Brown (@publicaddress) May 21, 2015
However, others felt the package was contradicted by a new policy that would see sole parents and partners of those on a benefit available for part time work when their youngest child turned three.
Raising benefits and increasing work obligiations seems fair until you consider we have serious underemployment as is #Budget2015
— Philip (@JakWelly) May 21, 2015
Sole parents of 3 year olds have to work for 20 hours a week. Looking for all those employers to step up with flexible jobs. #Budget2015
— Deborah Russell MP ๐ (@BeeFaerie) May 21, 2015
Forcing more mothers out work and more children into daycare - when will the value be placed on supporting families at home? #budget2015
— Anna Lorck (@raising5girls) May 21, 2015
A new border clearance levy, which would see travelers pay $6 to leave New Zealand and $16 to get back in, was also unpopular on social media.
Border clearance levy? Are the @NZNationalParty predicting a mass exodus from the Auckland housing crisis? #Budget2015
— Dagan (@ardrigh) May 21, 2015
Glad I booked and paid for our tickets to Australia months ago #budget2015
— Mister Frankie (@mrlawyerdaddy) May 21, 2015
Many saw the 2015 Budget as being unusually compassionate for the right, with @LouisMMayo expressing surprise at National Party MPs clapping their hands in response to benefit increases.
National Party clapping hands at benefit increases. What sort of madness is this? #budget2015
— Louis Mackenzie Mayo (@LouisMMayo) May 21, 2015
Prime Minister John Key described today's Budget as "compassionate conservatism" and in response, many found it interesting to see how Labour would respond to these new social policies.
It's funny seeing the left scramble to find ways to criticise the #budget2015 changes in benefits. Bill's only gone and done what you wanted
— Mark Currie (@MarkCurrieNZ) May 21, 2015
For the life of me, I cannot see how Labour can offer a rebuttal to this budget. It's almost like its theirs! #budget2015 #nzbudget
— Nish ๆๅญ้พๅๆๅญๆ็็ธ็ธ (@DailyDoseOfNish) May 21, 2015
Andrew Little's speech in response to the Budget caused a stir on its own, with his comments on the Budget being "some sort of fiscal gender reassignment" widely criticised on Twitter.
Pretty disappointed in Andrew Little's joke just now: "I don't know what he's trying to hide. Some fiscal gender reassignment, I don't know"
— nina ๆ้ (@ninamingya) May 21, 2015
Many found the comments insensitive following Little's response on Tuesday to a Young Labour remit pledging publicly funded gender reassignment surgery for transgender people.
Andrew Little, as someone who wants to be Prime Minister, has said some really disappointing comments around trans* peoples.
— Christian Rika โก (@CrikaRika) May 21, 2015
yesterday @AndrewLittleMP said he hadn't thought abt gender confirmation surgery, today he's making jokes about it.
— โฯฮฝัโั ะฒฮนัโ ะผฯะผ (@ghostattics) May 21, 2015
Right-wing blogger David Farrar tweeted that whoever wrote Andrew Little's speech was "going to be grateful they'll get an extra $25 a week on the benefit".
Whomever write Andrew Little's speech for him is going to be grateful they'll get an extra $25 a week on the benefit
— David Farrar (@dpfdpf) May 21, 2015
John Key's speech in response was criticised for talking more about "Angry Andrew" than the Budget itself.
Has Key actually mentioned anything in #budget2015 in this speech yet?
— Louis Mackenzie Mayo (@LouisMMayo) May 21, 2015
This #budget2015 feels a lot like they're just shuffling money around with no real gain for anyone.
— Abbey โจ (@abbey_maree) May 21, 2015
Also gets into the Angry Andrew trope. Maybe PM will talk about #Budget2015 soon. I live in hope.
— Frances Cook (@FrancesCook) May 21, 2015
Some found the Budget to be underwhelming overall, with @abbey_maree tweeting that it felt like "they're just shuffling money around with no real gain for anyone".
This #budget2015 feels a lot like they're just shuffling money around with no real gain for anyone.
— Abbey โจ (@abbey_maree) May 21, 2015
Others were more diplomatic about the whole affair.
Let's just be clear about this #Budget2015 it's too early to be congratulating or dissing anyone. Will need more analysis.
— Conan McKegg ๐งถ๐ฑ๐ (@ConanMcKegg) May 21, 2015
But if there's one thing we can be sure of, the 2015 Budget definitely got people talking online.