Budget 2018

Grant Robertson has faced consistent calls to open the purse strings and spend. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Grant Robertson and the $5.5 billion curse

The government will welcome the unexpectedly large surplus, but it brings with it a heap of extra pressure from all sides

By Jane Patterson | 10th October, 2018

(Image: Getty Images)

‘If you do R&D, we plan to support it’: Megan Woods defends the new tax incentive

Innovation Minister Megan Woods says the Government's new R&D tax incentive is far from a startup killer. In fact, she says, it will open up R&D funding to more businesses than ever before.

By Megan Woods | 30th May, 2018

Start me up (Image supplied).

Save our startups: an R&D SOS

Budget 2018 signalled significant changes to the government’s approach to R&D. Will the plans push our knowledge economy into the sea – or worse, Australia

By Toby Littin | 27th May, 2018

Left to right: Greens leader James Shaw, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern, NZ First leader Winston Peters

Budget 2018: Is a camel a horse designed by committee?

The compromises of the Labour-led government’s first budget was a sign of consultation required in the coalition.

By Greg Thompson | 24th May, 2018

Budget lockup lunch featuring chocolate lamington and lukewarm tartlet.

The lamingtons were delicious: The Spinoff joins the pre-Budget lockup

A few hours hours before the budget is announced to the public, journalists and other interested parties get a preview in a secure room deep inside the Beehive. This year, Jess McAllen was among them.

By Jessica McAllen | 18th May, 2018

Contributing writer

A squandered opportunity to be transformational on poverty

A squandered opportunity to be transformational on poverty

The Labour-led government has missed its chance to help those in the worst poverty

By Alan Johnson | 18th May, 2018

Grant Robertson just delivered National’s tenth budget

Grant Robertson just delivered National’s tenth budget

He was eager to burnish his fiscal responsibility credentials on his first outing. In doing so he has conjured up a neoliberal triumph

By Guyon Espiner | 18th May, 2018

(Various photos from Radio NZ)

The Bulletin: Budget 2018 Megamix

Today we've got all the washing up from yesterday's budget, plus news about councils, cows and creeps.

By Alex Braae | 18th May, 2018

The Labour/Greens coalition campaigned on bringing in the Budget Responsibility Rules. (Photo: Getty).

Budget 2018: the great Spinoff hot-take fry-up

How did Grant Robertson and co fare? Experts from across a range of sectors give their verdicts.

By Group Think | 17th May, 2018

A bunch of people

Grant Robertson has faced consistent calls to open the purse strings and spend. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Budget 18 is stuck in the present. We need investment in innovation for the future

The Budget's R&D spend looks less than futuristic, says Grant Thornton's Greg Thompson.

By Greg Thompson | 17th May, 2018

Grant Robertson and the blame-it-on-the-last-bunch budget

Grant Robertson and the blame-it-on-the-last-bunch budget

Labour is seeking to sell today's funding announcements as an exercise in cleaning up National's mess

By Rebecca Stevenson | 17th May, 2018

Finance Minister Grant Robertson holds a copy of the Budget 2018 Summary of Initiatives cover during a photo opportunity at Printlink on May 15, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand. Budget 2018 will be delivered on Thursday, 17 May. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Budget 2018, at a glance: $$$ for health, houses and schools

By Craig McCulloch | 17th May, 2018

Budget 2018: what to expect today, and when

Budget 2018: what to expect today, and when

By RNZ | 17th May, 2018

Finance Minister Grant Robertson holds a copy of the Budget 2018 Summary of Initiatives cover during a photo opportunity at Printlink on May 15, 2018 in Wellington, New Zealand. Budget 2018 will be delivered on Thursday, 17 May. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Grant Robertson is about to undergo his first big test. He has a lot to prove

The finance minister is about to find out just how difficult it is to keep both constituents and political allies happy, writes Massey University's Grant Duncan.

By Grant Duncan | 16th May, 2018

Corin Dann moderates a debate during the 2017 campaign. Photo: Getty

With $38m on the table, TVNZ suddenly remembers how to do public broadcasting

With the government’s relationship with RNZ rocky, is moving Q+A to primetime a deftly timed olive branch?

By Duncan Greive | 16th May, 2018

Finance Minister Steven Joyce poses with the Budget described as a the ‘one dollar bill’ budget by almost nobody (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

The ‘fudge-it budget’ and more of the best (and worst) Budget nicknames

With Budget day fast approaching, how will it be sold to the public? And how will the opposition go about pinning a derisive name on it? Let's look back at some of the most valiant attempts.

By Alex Braae | 13th May, 2018

Many parts of the health system appear at breaking point (Illustration: Toby Morris).

Government’s health budget must look to the future of care

The health sector needs significant investment, but where is that money going to come from? Grant Thornton’s Pam Newlove says the government needs to look to the private sector.

By Pam Newlove | 8th May, 2018

“So, you want some more money, too?” (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

From ambitious to zero budget: an A-Z guide for Budget 2018

With the Grant Robertson's big day just weeks away we've created a helpful (mostly) alphabetic introduction to the mysteries of the annual government Budget.

By The Spinoff | 5th May, 2018

The regions: where it’s at. (Illustration: Toby Morris)

Invest in the regions to save Auckland from itself

What might the 2018 Budget deliver on regional economic development, and how will it intersect with our largest city? Grant Thornton's Murray Brewer casts his eye over the options and opportunities.

By Murray Brewer | 1st May, 2018

Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson(Radio NZ)

The Bulletin: Government’s long slog to the Budget begins

In today's edition: The government's month of hell begins, BP under pressure over fuel price manipulation, and Amazon tax coming on online shopping.

By Alex Braae | 1st May, 2018