SECTIONS

budget 2013

NationalMay 20

Budget 2013: Return to surplus in two years

Finance Minister Bill English has stayed on the track set in previous years in today's Budget, reconfirming the return to surplus in two years while taking steps to reduce the risk of a housing bubble.
Budget 2013: Return to surplus in two years
Budget 2013: Return to surplus in two years
DunedinMay 20

Opinion: It's a win for the South

Budget 2013 provides plenty for the South, writes ODT political editor Dene Mackenzie.
Opinion: It's a win for the South
Opinion: It's a win for the South
QueenstownMay 20

Lakes area buyers still out in cold

For Arrowtown couple Hayden Finch and Bex Harrex, yesterday's Budget was not what they were hoping for.
Lakes area buyers still out in cold
Lakes area buyers still out in cold
DunedinMay 17

Government urged to address skill shortage

The Government is not doing enough to attract engineering and construction students in the face of rising demand due to the Christchurch rebuilding and a housing shortage, Otago Polytechnic chief executive Phil Ker says.
Government urged to address skill shortage
Government urged to address skill shortage
NationalMay 17

Opinion: Government's pragmatism trumps principle in Budget

One of the reasons why governments slowly decay and die is that the longer they are in office the more prone they become to ugly pragmatism and compromise of principle.
EditorialMay 17

Eye on the future

All Budgets are, of course, political as well as financial documents.
Eye on the future
Eye on the future
BusinessMay 17

Research boost plays to city's strengths

Discussions around the commercialisation of research from the University of Otago will take on a different dimension following a $130 million Government investment into Kiwi research and development.
DunedinMay 17

Meridian confirmed as next for sale

Meridian Energy has been confirmed as the next state-owned electricity generator to be partly sold down and listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) in the second half of this year.
Meridian confirmed as next for sale
Meridian confirmed as next for sale
DunedinMay 17

Gains meagre, family on benefit say

A Dunedin family living on an unemployment benefit say measures in the Budget announced yesterday were paltry but some of the proposed pilot schemes had potential.
Gains meagre, family on benefit say
Gains meagre, family on benefit say
NewsMay 17

Tertiary sector still 'squeezed'

The Government's tertiary education budget represents a continued ''squeeze'' on the sector, with funding for most subjects not even adjusted for inflation, both the Otago Polytechnic and the Otago University Students' Association say.
BusinessMay 17

New measures to address financial stability confirmed

The Reserve Bank has been given the go-ahead to implement extra measures which could affect future home buyers by requiring greater deposits before loans are approved.
DunedinMay 17

Predicted $75m barely qualifies as surplus

The Government reaffirmed its commitment to have its books back in surplus by 2015 but at $75 million, the surplus remains in the category of margin for error.
NewsMay 17

$200m in extra funding 'positive'

University of Otago senior genetics researcher Associate Prof Peter Dearden is ''incredibly pleased'' the Government has boosted science, innovation and research funding by $200 million in the Budget.
DunedinMay 17

Diabetes funding welcomed but aged care not enough, critics say

Despite health getting the biggest funding increase in yesterday's Budget, critics warn some important areas are not receiving enough money.
NationalMay 17

Key tips early surplus

Prime Minister John Key says it is possible the Government could get close to a surplus in the coming financial year - one year earlier than officially predicted in yesterday's Budget.
Key tips early surplus
Key tips early surplus
AustraliaMay 16

Aussie treasurer 'dumbfounded' by comparison with NZ

New Zealand is forecasting a budget surplus a year earlier than Australia but Treasurer Wayne Swan says he is "completely dumbfounded" anyone would suggest that was because of a better economic performance.
NationalMay 16

Plans to make more expenses deductible

Deep within the Government's Budget can be found mysterious references to "black hole expenditure" and "thin capitalisation rules".
NationalMay 16

Loans default policy for 'the worst of the worst'

Steven Joyce says only overseas-based residents who deliberately default on their student loan repayments will be arrested at the border.
Loans default policy for 'the worst of the worst'
Loans default policy for 'the worst of the worst'
NationalMay 16

Surplus plans please EMA

Returning the Government's books to surplus by 2014/15 gives business a lot of confidence, the Employers and Manufacturers Association says.
NationalMay 16

$188m for welfare reforms

The Government has allocated a further $188.6 million for its welfare reforms, including funding to contract out some of its highest-needs beneficiaries to external providers to deal with.
NationalMay 16

$2b boost for Christchurch rebuild

The Government has allocated $900 million of new money from the asset sales programme as part of the $2 billion increase in funding for the rebuild of quake-damaged Christchurch.
NationalMay 16

All state house tenancies to be reviewed

All state house tenants will have their tenancies reviewed and be forced to move on once their circumstances change under changes made in the Budget - a step expected to result in 3000 tenants moving out of state houses by 2017.
NationalMay 16

Student loan defaulters could be arrested at border

Student loan borrowers who have defaulted on their repayments could be arrested at the border under new sanctions in Budget 2013 in a drive to increase student loan repayments.
NationalMay 16

$19m to establish charter schools

The Government will spend $19 million on establishing the first charter schools in 2014.
NationalMay 16

Housing policy underwhelming - opposition parties

The Government's new housing policy has been slammed by opposition parties as doing little to ease the pressure for first-home buyers.
Housing policy underwhelming - opposition parties
Housing policy underwhelming - opposition parties