Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

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 / Whanganui Chronicle

Audrey Young: Not the sort of budget to get you dancing or raging against

Audrey Young
By Audrey Young
Senior Political Correspondent·NZ Herald·
17 May, 2018 05:00 PM3 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

The New Zealand Herald interviews Simon Bridges following the announcement of the 2018 Labour budget.

It was not a Budget that would have you dancing in the streets.

Nor was it a Budget to rage against – although Simon Bridges tried valiantly.

In the end, almost everyone was right about this Budget.

Simon Bridges said National had left a legacy of a growing economy and the books in tip-top shape for the new Government.

Labour won't thank them – but nor did National thank Labour for a similar bequest in 2009 when the global financial crisis hit.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Jacinda Ardern said health, housing and education.

She said it would be predictable but not boring. True enough. It would be impossible for any creation of Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson and Winston Peters to be boring.

Greens co-leader James Shaw said it would be the greenest Budget ever, and it is.

The $100 million green investment fund for clean technologies is a reality. Former leader Russel Norman who first promoted the policy must be green with envy if not purple with pride.

I was right when I suggested at a press conference to announce $900 million more for Foreign Affairs that Winston Peters just needs to snap his fingers in this Government, which he created.

Discover more

New Zealand|politics

A cheese-roll Budget: Simple, straight - who's still hungry?

17 May 05:00 PM
New Zealand|politics

DHBs turn over medicines budgets to Pharmac

17 May 07:43 AM

This time, it is the racing industry and tax deductibility for investors in standout breeding yearlings.

A standout yearling is defined as one "that commands attention by virtue of its bloodlines, looks and racing potential" and apparently IRD will be the judge.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Most importantly, Grant Robertson said it would be a fiscally responsible Budget and it was.

Business is suspicious of the new Government, confidence surveys show, but not enough to make it hurt the Government's coffers.

Ironically it was a boost in Government revenue from business profits that delivered Robertson almost $1 billion more in revenue than expected in December. He spent a little of the extra, but didn't blow the lot.

And in order to have more windfalls into the future, Robertson needs to prove he is responsible.

Clearly he wants the pot to grow because much more spending is expected in future years.

The education sector expects a bigger share of the pie although parents with higher needs children may not feel hard done by.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Health received intensive car in this Budget.

Labour Maori MPs will be wanting more for their constituencies.

And Peters will be wanting to deliver more to superannuitants before the next election.

Perhaps that will bring on the dancing.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Family selling their ski chalet to get better parking spot for their plane

18 Jun 07:25 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Mayor raises alarm over Taranaki seabed mining proposal

18 Jun 01:57 AM
Whanganui Chronicle

Four injured in crash near Whanganui

17 Jun 10:34 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Family selling their ski chalet to get better parking spot for their plane

Family selling their ski chalet to get better parking spot for their plane

18 Jun 07:25 AM

Waikato couple built luxury A-frame in National Park.

Mayor raises alarm over Taranaki seabed mining proposal

Mayor raises alarm over Taranaki seabed mining proposal

18 Jun 01:57 AM
Four injured in crash near Whanganui

Four injured in crash near Whanganui

17 Jun 10:34 PM
Taranaki seabed mine under scrutiny as fast-track bid advances

Taranaki seabed mine under scrutiny as fast-track bid advances

17 Jun 09:23 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

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
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP