There will be other small announcements along with the rumoured social spending announcements but new Finance Minister Steven Joyce will not want his social spending announcement missed by voters.
Announcements, not strictly pre-Budget, have also meant the Government spending up large before Thursday.
The announcements so far. -
Pre-Budget 2017:
- $11 billion in new capital infrastructure over the next four Budgets, in addition to spending already included in agency guidelines.
- $812 million for reinstating State Highway 1 between Picton and Christchurch.
- $321 million social investment package, including $28.1 million to help expand Family Start, $34.7 million to support more children with behavioural issues and $6 million to help children with communication issues.
- Additional funding of $26.7 million over the next three years, plus a capital boost of $63 million, towards irrigation investments.
- $5.2 million to fund more teachers in priority subjects.
- $21 million to fight beech forest-increased rat and stoat numbers.
- $303.9 million allocated to support the continuation of the New Zealand screen industry production grants, both globally and domestically.
- $178 million tourism infrastructure package, including $76 million on new and upgraded infrastructure for the Department of Conservation.
- $74.6 million in funding through the Innovative New Zealand programme to meet growing demand for research and development growth grants.
Other announcements:
- Government to build 34,000 new houses in Auckland at total cost of $2.2 billion. Housing NZ will issue $1.1 billion of public bonds to help pay for the build.
- Securing 870 transitional places providing housing for 3480 households a year for around 10,000 New Zealanders in need of warm and safe housing.
- Forty-three two-bedroom houses will be built in Hamilton by the end of July at a cost of $12 million.
- $359,000 to help recycle waste wood in Tauranga.
- $5 million earthquake funding support for earthquake-struck farmers and growers within the Hurunui, Kaikoura and Marlborough regions or primarily for the benefit of the regions.
- $1.2 million for Kaikoura earthquake science.
- $260,000 for 800 new youth development opportunities.
- $15 million Grey Lynn school redevelopment starts.
- $6.7 million redevelopment for Kaikorai Primary School.
- $2.5 million over three years to help the Kaikoura, Hurunui and Marlborough District Councils to deal with aftermath of the earthquake.
