Devil beasts and fruit loops, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson and game show hosts all made guest appearances in the Budget debate yesterday.

KPMG partner Paul McPadden gives his instant opinion and analysis of Budget 2013 to nzherald.co.nz Business editor Chris Daniels.

Expert opinion and analysis from New Zealand Herald Economics editor Brian Fallow on the 2013 Budget delivered by Finance Minister Bill English.

Finance Minister Bill English has stayed on the track set in previous years in today's Budget, reconfirming the return to surplus in two years while taking steps to reduce the risk of a housing bubble. Social housing is a big element of the Budget. Watch his speech in full.

Tomorrow Bill English will deliver this Government's fifth Budget. Five years is a long time in economic terms, long enough for a complete cycle of expansion and contraction in the normal course of events. He touches on some of the things we can expect.

Shares in Mighty River Power have started trading this afternoon on the NZX at $2.73 each - a 23c or 9.2 per cent premium on the listing price.

The last of the pie chain's outlets closed in the late 1990s, however McDonald’s reintroduced the Kiwi classic in 2013. Video / Sarah Ivey

Watch this old television Advert for "Georgie Pie". Starting early next month, McDonald's will begin selling a single Georgie Pie product at 11 of its restaurants in Auckland and Waikato. And New Zealand's biggest fast food operator isn't ruling out a return of standalone Georgie Pie stores.

Today we launch part two of our latest video series, a beginner's guide to investing in shares.

Today we launch part three of our latest video series, a beginner's guide to investing in shares. How do I choose which companies to invest in? What does it mean to have a diversified portfolio? And who looks after my shares?

The Government remains on track to return to surplus by 2014/15 but its current "firm" control on spending will continue beyond that date, Finance Minister Bill English said in a pre-Budget speech this afternoon.

Cue TV has the latest from Invercargill with the council meeting about the smelter and Mayor Shadbolt debunking a few myths about the rest of NZ getting cheap power if it closes.

CEO of the Southland Chamber of Commerce Richard Hay speaks to Cue TV and believes from inside sources that Rio Tinto are happy to 'come back to the table' in talks with Meridian Energy.

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt talks to Cue TV about Tiwai Point. Prime Minister John Key says the Government will offer no more than the short-term subsidy offered last week to keep the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter open. Rio Tinto - which owns just on 80 percent of the 41 year-old smelter, rejected a short term subsidy offer over Easter weekend, saying it needed a long term deal and was returning to talks with its supplier, Meridian Energy.

Fiji Airways's new Airbus A330 made its maiden commercial flight to New Zealand in 2013. Video / Supplied

Prime Minister John Key comments on discussions with Tiwai Point aluminium smelter's ultimate owners Rio Tinto and a bid to broker a deal, the attack on Black Cap Jesse Ryder, relief for the drought stricken farmers; and finally the 'golden handshake' for Solid Energy's Don Elder.

Telecom, New Zealand's biggest internet retailer, has entered the consumer fibre market and says customers will be able to sign up to its ultra-fast broadband plans from tomorrow.

Mr Joyce also gave an update on progress with the Government's remediation plan to address issues with the school payroll system. A new dedicated Education Sector Payroll Services business unit to be established in the Education Ministry to co-ordinate the Remediation Plan.

Mr Palmer and former Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder made their highly anticipated appearance before Parliament's commerce committee this afternoon to answer questions about what led to the company's near collapse under $389 million in debt. Dr Elder told the packed committee room that the company's recent problems were down to a "perfect storm" of unprecedented coal price falls last year and the strong Kiwi dollar. He said it wasn't just New Zealand coal companies that were feeling the brunt of a drop in the price of coal, but US companies were also in serious trouble. He said the situation with Solid Energy needed to be looked at within an international context. Dr Elder offered an apology to workers on the West Coast who lost their jobs.

New Zealand Herald economics editor Brian Fallow discusses the official cash rate.

Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler has announced there will be no change to the Official Cash Rate, which sits at a record low 2.5pc. The financial markets saw no chance the Reserve Bank would raise the official cash rate today so their focus will be on how the accompanying monetary policy statement describes the balance of risks going forward. The kiwi dollar dropped on the news.

Business editor of the New Zealand Herald, Liam Dann talks to nzherald.co.nz about the Government's partial float of Mighty River Power.

Prime Minister John Key and Finance Minister Bill English on the sale of Mighty River Power shares to would-be investors. PM John Key said the Government is intending to keep its promises about ensuring a high level of New Zealand ownership.

The Prime Minister distanced himself from news that Telecom will slash hundreds of jobs as it seeks to reduce costs across its business. "Telecom is going through it's own set of issues," he said. A decision to cut jobs by the telecommunication giant's new chief executive was "not really an issue in any way related to the Government," Mr Key said.

Prime Minister John Key has denied that the Solid Energy crisis and Telecom job cuts are a black mark against the Government's handling of the economy. A Government bailout of state-owned enterprise Solid Energy appears likely as Mr Key today described the situation as "extremely serious" and one that the Government will have to get involved in.

Prime Minister John Key was questioned in Parliament Wednesday about SkyCity hatching a land deal with TVNZ to make room for the larger convention centre he wanted. NZ First leader Winston Peters had called it a "secret side deal".

Prime Minister John Key comments on the yet to be released Household Labour force survey figures that are an indicator of the unemployment rate in New Zealand.

Mainzeal Property and Construction - one of New Zealand's largest construction companies - has gone into receivership.

Path of Exile is an online Action RPG set in the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. We're a small independent team of hardcore gamers based in New Zealand and have created Path of Exile as the game that we'd want to play ourselves.

Sir Stephen says his motivation for starting up The Warehouse was the desire to be in control of his job security and future career.