As Budget 2019 nears, claims of leaks and hacks have shrouded the build up to the Government's day of opening the books.
In the, supposedly, highly secretive Budget, the Government outlines where it will spend its money.
Jessica Mutch McKay: Budget leak saga an extraordinary story and embarrassing for Government
1 NEWS outlines what are the Government's priorities ahead of tomorrow's Budget and what spending has already been announced?
Priorities of the 'wellbeing' Budget:
A shift to a low-emission economy, moving to a digitalised nation, reducing child poverty, lifting incomes and opportunities for Māori and Pacific people, and focusing on improving the mental wellbeing of youth are set to be prioritised in Budget 2019.
During December's Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update , Finance Minister Grant Robertson said "the development of Budget priorities represents a new way of working and of thinking about how we develop our priorities as a Government, and measure our success as a country".
In his pre-Budget speech earlier this month, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said $1 billion had been identified as "no longer a priority or where the funding allocated is no longer needed". "One example of this was underspending on the fees free programme due to enrollments not meeting initial forecasts."
Pre-Budget announcements:
- $320 million into family sexual violence and support services .
- $286 million in welfare changes.
- $197 million into the Housing First programme to assist long-term homeless people.
- $150 million over four years for young people leaving state care through Oranga Tamariki.
- $98 million programme into Māori reoffending rates .
- $95 million to support and/or train 3280 additional teachers .
- estimated $49 million into scrapping NCEA fees .
- $47 million fund to develop clean energy in Taranaki .
- $12 million for Māori and Pacific to develop community-led initiatives for rheumatic fever .
- $16 million to go towards fixing and preventing Census 2018 .
- $9.4 million over four years for 15 new staff in the Office of Ethnic Communities.
- $4.6 million to investigate a scheme to reduce the costs of public transport for Community Services Card holders.
- $58 million into the forestry sector .
- $56.1 million over four years to the Whenua Māori Programme for regional advisory services in Te Tai Tokerau, Waiariki and Te Tairāwhiti.
- $17.2 million increase in ambulance operational funding (over four years).
- $7.7 million to upgrade the SuperGold Card , including a digital platform.
To keep up to date with tomorrow's Budget announcements at 2pm, go to 1newsnow.co.nz, or watch the 1 NEWS Budget Special on TVNZ1.
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