ACT leader David Seymour was probably right when he called it the "tough love" Budget earlier this week.
In short, most of the money is going to keeping the lights on, with no immediate help for those that have been struggling with the cost of living.
The Government has left $450 million aside for if the fuel crisis continues to bite.
While it may be frustrating for people in the short term, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has provided some leverage to offer to some voters potentially come closer to election time.
I bumped into the Finance Minister an hour or so after delivering her Budget and asked about if it was a political gamble to offer no sweetener for voters.
She said she believed it would be a greater gamble to offer that sweetener and emphasised the Government was still putting in money for things Kiwis cared about – health, education etc.
The Government's goal of getting back to surplus was the key focus of this Budget.
After Treasury forecasted another delay in December, they've now said it can be achieved in 2028/2029 with some headroom.
Flashback to the 2023 election, it was in fact this coming financial year (2026/27) where National were hoping to get the books back into order and that was under the old OBEGAL model too.
This is under Willis' new measure OBEGALx that excludes ACC.
That goal is still two years off, but Willis could argue she was let down by forecasts from Treasury and several wars that have started since then.
But for voters at home, many of whom have been dealing with the rising cost of living, this may be a tough pill to swallow.
Willis has found her savings from public servants, university students in the form of final-year fees-free being cut, and social housing tenants who are going to see their bills go up by an average of $30 per week.
Aside from some of the public servants, these are hardly some of the wealthiest people in our society.
1News yesterday visited the home of Barbara Finn, a social housing tenant in Whanganui, closer to retirement.
She said $30 a week is the difference between getting her petrol money or even her broadband for the week.
That is certainly tough love, and some could argue for much stronger words than that.
Also in the Budget was a new bank levy.
It's hard to find someone who doesn't believe the banks are making too much money.
But as Willis disclosed there was disagreement among the coalition about how this was done.
The new levy will be less than 1% of the total profits of the big four banks alone.
Ask ACT leader David Seymour and he'll tell you that banks will pass that $209 million on to the consumer.
Ask NZ First's Winston Peters and he'll argue it should have gone much further, Willis too appearing to be in the same camp.
But that doesn't mean Willis and Peters are on the same page about everything.
Peters took exception to comments made by the Finance Minister in the Budget lockup.
She called the rising costs of superannuation a time bomb.
Peters too was unhappy, going as far as to say, "it was an unfortunate mistake that she should not have made" and that Willis' comment was wrong.
In health, there was a record amount of funding, but health funding is pretty much a record each year.
Because it costs more to run services for more people, with an ageing population.
National Party leader Christopher Luxon's ad hoc promise on the 2023 campaign trail to lower the bowel screening age to match Australia is proving to continue to present challenges.
The Government has lowered the age from 60 to 56 – an improvement but still short of the 45 that Australia has.
And to do that initial cut they took away pilot programmes from Māori and Pasifika who could access it from 50 years old in some regions.
One of the big winners of this year's Budget was Corrections, with $477 million going towards dealing with the ever-increasing number of prisoners.
The Government's tough on crime approach to law and order might be taking more criminals off the streets, but it's also hitting them in the books.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered the "responsible" Budget in Parliament today. (Source: 1News)
So, what now ahead of the election?
The wheels are now very much in motion.
The clock too has started for Labour.
They've promised to make what they say are different choices.
For months, the party has pinned Budget day as their key to understanding the numbers before they release any more policy.
Chris Hipkins has said more is coming in June.
The party must look like a government in waiting and still doesn't have policies in areas such as housing, transport or justice.
Now that the Budget is released, there are no excuses to hold back.
For National, they too haven't released many election policies beyond the KiwiSaver changes.
There's no sweetener aside from potential further assistance during the fuel crisis for voters.
However, they could promise something against next year's Budget, but with a strong commitment to surplus in 2028/29, there won't be much money for that.
New Zealand First has arguably been campaigning for 2026 ever since they returned to Parliament in 2023.
Peters has not been shy when it comes to announcing policy, including this year's policies to break up the gentailers, KiwiSaver from birth, abolishing Māori electorates, and buying back BNZ.
The easy thing for Peters compared to that of National and Labour is that he can make pledges that may never need to be funded.
His strategy to buy BNZ would potentially cost tens of billions of dollars, but as it's been ruled out by everyone, then no money will ever be required.
The same luxury exists for the Greens, who've yet to officially release their tax policy ahead of the year's election.
They signalled in their alternative Budget last year a range of taxes, including a wealth tax, inheritance tax and a private jet levy.
ACT has recently announced their immigration policy but is hoping to learn the lessons of 2023.
The party peaked too early and will want to time it better this year.
Back to the Budget.
As Willis said, there are no sugar hits.
But fuel prices continue to remain high, the cost of living continues to increase, and the Reserve Bank is signalling interest rate rises aren't too far away.
No sugar hits is playing the longer game – it's the question of if voters are happy to take some tough love until then.
I guess we'll find out on November 7 if that's true.
The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, including Dame Lynda Topp slams the budget, new MAFS allegations, and the All White who’s going viral. (Source: 1News)
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