Budget comfortable fit for many Kiwis
There may be little bling to Finance Minister Bill English’s sixth Budget but, like a pair of sensible shoes, it will make for a comfortable fit for many New Zealanders. It was a budget light on ambition, heavy on prudence, in its commitment towards a modest $ 372 million surplus, but with a few policies bearing a distinctive Labour hue to them.
Its ‘‘ steady as she goes’’ tenor does shrewdly mine the Kiwi ethos. Yes, a tax cut would have been nice, but they’ve balanced the books and haven’t forgotten the children. So she’ll be right.
It is a budget good enough to serve its purpose, whether that is pragmatic progress towards further surpluses and the lure of an eventual tax cut or simply placating middle New Zealand until after the general election in September is a matter of perspective.
The $ 500m package for young families, comprising improved parental leave and tax credit benefits, a $ 156m injection into early childhood education, and the extension of free GP visits to all children under 13, was described by English as the ‘‘ heart’’ of the budget and it seems to have generated enough warm fuzzies.
No, it won’t help the poor into the middle class and the $ 33m for vulnerable children seems like a token effort, but it’s more than most were expecting from a National Government.
Its best budget ideas may have come from the other side of the house, but that’s cold comfort for Labour. Its leader David Cunliffe claims the surplus- focused Budget is out of touch with New Zealanders, who are unable to catch the ‘‘ fading Kiwi dream’’ – alluding to the growing housing crisis.
If this is the case, his party has been given a golden opportunity to engage the disenfranchised ahead of the election. As expected, home buyers battling lending restrictions, soaring prices and rising immigration, received no solace in yesterday’s announcement.
Still, whatever it lacks in its ability to enable ‘‘ Kiwi dreams’’, the Budget does offer a Kiwi reality that is manageable for the majority of New Zealanders – or at least the ones who vote.
One more thing:
Worksafe New Zealand and the courts are to be commended for taking a stand on unsafe quad biking riding. A $ 15,000 fine may seem hefty for the Marlborough farmer who got caught riding without a helmet, and carrying a helmet- less child as a passenger, but hopefully it will serve as a wake- up call for others.
While the authorities are confident most farmers are adhering to safety guidelines, the frequency of accidents, often causing serious injury, suggests there are still many who need an incentive to wise up.