Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Budget draws criticism of Hamilton MP David Bennett despite praise from tourism sector

Tom Rowland
By Tom Rowland
Hamilton News·
15 May, 2020 12:50 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

National MP for Hamilton East David Bennett is disappointed at the 2020 Budget. Photo / File

National MP for Hamilton East David Bennett is disappointed at the 2020 Budget. Photo / File

National MP for Hamilton East David Bennett has blasted the Government's Budget announcement yesterday describing it as a band-aid for the economy to get through to the election.

Yesterday Minister of Finance Grant Robertson released the 2020 Budget which focuses on the aftermath of the economy after the Covid-19 outbreak.

The biggest news out of the Budget was the extension of the wage subsidy for eight more weeks, while sectors devastated by the Covid-19 outbreak have also received funding.

"They've carried on the wage subsidy just so people don't have to make any economic decisions before the elections just so everybody feels things are ticking along nicely, then after the election if they are re-elected then they would go hard on cost cutting and revenue increases like taxes," Bennett said.

"It's policy that can't win, people are not that stupid and they will see through this. The Government's Budget should have made some of the hard decisions necessary for this country to move forward."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bennett said again there was nothing for the Waikato in terms of projects, however Hamilton-based Labour list MP Jamie Strange said those aspects of the Budget have yet to be announced.

Labour MP Jamie Strange. Photo / File
Labour MP Jamie Strange. Photo / File

"We haven't announced the shovel-ready projects yet, those are still a couple of weeks away but some of that money could end up being used in Hamilton and around the Waikato," Strange said.

"People who live in the Waikato have taken the wage subsidy, there is money for the region in this Budget."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He said the $400 million to be spent on tourism will help the region, which draws a lot of its funding from domestic tourism.

Waikato Tourism CEO Jason Dawson said the $400m and the extension to the wage subsidy was a welcome start.

"Our tourism businesses have been bleeding cash, trying to reduce overhead costs and using up their cash reserves or personal savings to stay afloat. Our sector can easily show a 50 per cent reduction in revenue to meet the revised criteria," said Dawson.

"The eight-week extension to the wage subsidy will help ease the pain and hopefully keep more people in the sector in the short term. However, further initiatives will be required in the months ahead to prevent significant job losses.

Discover more

Celebrating business community in tough times

12 May 09:19 PM

Tourism market set to restart in the Waikato

14 May 08:00 PM

"Our people are our number one asset and retention is our key priority. They are experienced, talented, qualified and passionate for our industry. Without people, tourism and events is not a viable business model."

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

live
Waikato Herald

Up to 50 people evacuated from homes after wild weather, clean-up begins

11 Jul 08:08 PM
Property

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

11 Jul 08:45 AM
Waikato Herald

Storm leaves 13,000 without power in Tasman

11 Jul 08:18 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

Up to 50 people evacuated from homes after wild weather, clean-up begins
live
Waikato Herald

Up to 50 people evacuated from homes after wild weather, clean-up begins

11 Jul 08:08 PM

The North Island is expected to get off to a wet start this morning, with lingering rain.

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

Legal hook means buyers risk losing thousands on some Kāinga Ora homes

11 Jul 08:45 AM
Storm leaves 13,000 without power in Tasman
Waikato Herald

Storm leaves 13,000 without power in Tasman

11 Jul 08:18 AM
'Serious injuries': Crash closes highway
Waikato Herald

'Serious injuries': Crash closes highway

11 Jul 05:30 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP