It’s all innuendo in pre-budget tango

Quiz masters Key and English hoodwinked us again, and even Paula Bennett got in on the act.

Every year, politicos tie themselves in knots trying to predict what’s in the budget. For what? We all eventually find out, when the Government just tells us.

But a game has formed and it’s fun to play. In the leadup, Key and English are the quiz masters.

A red herring here, a quizzical look there – ‘‘are you sure you want to lock that in?’’

What was never questioned in the lead-up to the budget, was whether there would be a centrepiece to it at all.

We’d become so used to this Government magicking an outside-the-box (typically slightly left of centre) showpiece, it was its previous budgets that turned out to be the biggest hoodwink of all.

So here are five things ministers said to throw us off the scent (with a score out of 5): – Bill English fielding questions on whether an extension to paid parental leave would be in the budget. (1/5)

English gets a mark for thoroughly duping Labour’s Sue Moroney. On this one, however, most in the know could see the Government would not go through the ignominy of vetoing a bill to extend paid parental leave, and fork out for it in the budget. – Paula Bennett denying she blindsided Bill English when she announced homeless families in Auckland could receive up to $5000 to move to the regions. (3/5)

This was the most entertaining quote from a wider discussion around how much the budget would focus on housing. In the end, it showed the Government was listening to people under pressure, and many thought perhaps they’d heard enough to give more to the crisis (yes, crisis) in the budget.

They got us there. – Bill English again, quelling any hope of tax cuts this year. (1/5)

They’re coming somewhere along the line. And they will – there’s no way a government can head into an election year with a forecast $2.5 billion surplus and not promise them. – John Key speculating on how much he reckons the Government would need for a tax cut package. (4/5)

This was the real hoodwink, the day after English’s speech, and left many genuinely wondering: ‘‘So which is it?’’ Was it Key being loose-lipped, or just ‘‘bouncing from cloud to cloud’’, as his finance minister once characterised him? – Bill English implying the Government’s debt reduction plan is not set in stone. (4/5)

Well, hang on, Bill, it’s in your budget. It took him less than 24 hours to loosen up debt repayment for possible tax cuts again. It’s not surprising, there’s an election next year.

Where he hoodwinked the lot of us is we thought he’d at least let the ink dry, before doing another about-turn.