Budget confirms rise in petrol tax
Budget confirms rise in petrol tax
Tax on petrol is to rise by 2c a litre from August, with a corresponding increase in Road User Charges, yesterday's Budget confirms.
Budget 2012
It's a money-go-round
It's a money-go-round
Finance Minister Bill English yesterday released a slightly more generous Budget than expected, but still plans to scrape into surplus by 2015 through some sleight of hand with revenue and savings.
Home insulation scheme to be extended
Home insulation scheme to be extended
A government-subsidised home insulation scheme will be extended for a year, Energy Minister Phil Heatley announced in today's Budget.
Shearer slams 'zero Budget'
Shearer slams 'zero Budget'
Labour leader David Shearer says the Budget will send New Zealanders flocking to airport departure lounges.
Smokers hit in pocket again
Smokers hit in pocket again
Smokers will pay at least $5 more for a packet of 20 cigarettes by 2016 after Government announced a series of tax increases on tobacco in today's Budget.
Funding for youth 'One Stop Shops'
Funding for youth 'One Stop Shops'
Youth workers in schools and centres such as `One Stop Shops' for youth will get about $4.3 million in funding a year under the Budget to provide mental health services to youth - including a new $2 million `social media' fund to use social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach youth with mental health issues.
KiwiSaver auto-enrolment scheme deferred
KiwiSaver auto-enrolment scheme deferred
Finance Minister Bill English shored up his chances of achieving a surplus in 2014/15 by deferring last Budget's costly KiwiSaver auto-enrolment plan, saving hundreds of millions of dollars.
Health gets biggest spending increase
Health gets biggest spending increase
The partial sale of state-owned energy companies will pump $88.1 million into hospital redevelopment work as the health sector picks up the largest spending increase in this year's Budget.
No dramatics in Bill's Budget
No dramatics in Bill's Budget
Bill English has been true to his word and has delivered a Budget with no dramatics.
Taxpayer share of AMI bill halved
Taxpayer share of AMI bill halved
The taxpayer bill for the AMI Insurance bill has more than halved to just under $150 million in today's Budget.
Cuts to fund welfare reform package
Cuts to fund welfare reform package
The Government is cutting $155 million from current services aimed at getting youth and the unemployed into work to help fund its $287.5m welfare reform support package.
Plug pulled on voluntary loan repayments
Plug pulled on voluntary loan repayments
The Government will pull the plug on the student loan voluntary repayment scheme, saving $43.5 million.
Mighty River sale to pay for KiwiRail plan
Mighty River sale to pay for KiwiRail plan
The Government will use a big chunk of cash it will raise from the sale of Mighty River Power this year to pay for the KiwiRail turnaround plan which was announced three years ago.
Students protest against Budget in Auckland
Students protest against Budget in Auckland
A central Auckland street has been blocked by students protesting against this year's Budget.
Big earners in for bad news today?
Big earners in for bad news today?
High income earners, or those hiding their income through trusts or a mixed use of assets, could be in the firing line when Finance Minister Bill English releases his Budget 2012 this afternoon.
Budget app in, paper out
Budget app in, paper out
The Treasury is getting into the swing of austerity measures as Finance Minister Bill English prepares to release his Budget 2012 tomorrow.
Rivals queue up to roast Budget
Rivals queue up to roast Budget
National came under attack from the Opposition yesterday with suggestions its Budget tomorrow would not deliver on its growth forecasts and that it was too ready to blame Europe.
English tips high income tax move
English tips high income tax move
Tax rules will be tightened around high income earners who rent out assets for some of the year such as holiday homes and yachts, Finance Minister Bill English indicated this morning.
$65m for prison programmes
$65m for prison programmes
Allocating $65 million to improved drug and alcohol and education programmes for prisoners will reduce offending by 25 percent and see 18,500 fewer victims of crime, according to the Government.
Best showing yet by Shearer with 'zero Budget' censure
Best showing yet by Shearer with 'zero Budget' censure
OPINION: David Shearer delivered his strongest speech yet as leader of the Labour Party, when he yesterday launched a broadside at the Government's prediction for a "zero Budget" to be delivered on Thursday.