Latest from Budget 2015

Budget 2015: Bill English stand-up

Bill English, finance minister, answers questions about the 2015 budget.

Child poverty: Still work to be done

A group which campaigns against child poverty says while it is heartening to see an increase in beneficiary incomes for the first time in over 40 years, there is still work to be done.

Anger at border tax grows

Airports have joined tourist groups and airlines in objecting to Budget plans to introduce new border charges.

Warning against tax cuts

Child poverty campaigners say the Budget has “broken the mould” of austerity – but say any fiscal surpluses in the next few years should be used to relieve the country’s unjust “social deficit”, not to cut taxes.

Thomas Pippos: Cruel reality of economic grind

Bill English's seventh budget brings home the reality of a hard economic grind, a far cry from the historic rock star sentiments.

Fran O'Sullivan: English still Mr Relia-Bill

Bill English has basked in the NZ economy's rock star status but ironically unforeseen rocky conditions have denied him the satisfaction of unveiling his first Budget surplus.

Rob McLeod: Govt needs insurance mindset

Rob McLeod, chairman of EY, says while NZ is in a relatively strong position, we face material risks.

Liam Dann: Just business as usual

What's in the Budget for business? Well, that's what we usually call our "Budget at a glance" graphic. This year we've opted for: What business needs to know.

Aaron Quintal: Child poverty unexpected focus of Budget

Could business have expected more from a Budget labelled by Finance Minister Bill English as "a plan that's working"?

English keeps tight hold on reins

In his seventh Budget Finance Minister Bill English keeps a tight fist around the reins of government spending.

Reining in of university fees 'paltry'

University fee hikes are to be reined in by the Government - but a student union has dismissed any savings as paltry.

KiwiSaver $1000 kickstart cut

The Government has promised not to make any further cuts to KiwiSaver after scrapping a $1000 payment which all members received upon signing up.

Income-related rent subsidies increase

An extra 3000 tenants will be entitled to the income-related rent subsidy under changes outlined in the Budget.

End of kiwisaver kickstart inevitable: expert

The decision to cut the $1000 kickstart for KiwiSaver was inevitable and is unlikely to stop people from joining up to the retirement savings scheme, says an expert.

Support for kiwi welcomed

A $11.2 million bag of rescue money for our critically endangered national bird has been welcomed by environmental groups.

$25m for provincial research institutes

The Government is fronting up $25 million to kickstart new privately led provincial research institutes.

Budget 2015 winners: NZ's poorest

New Zealand's poorest families will get their biggest income boost in a decade when the Budget anti-poverty package kicks in next April.

Funding for intelligence agencies

A large boost in funding for the country’s intelligence agencies will help combat threats including the Islamic State and cyber-attacks.