Return to surplus? Nicola Willis charts economic recovery

About this episode

Nicola Willis discusses the government's economic recovery plans and budget details with Jack Tame.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered her third and final Budget Day speech for the parliamentary term this week. A Budget delivering investment in health, infrastructure and defence, the Minister has described it as "responsible" - while Opposition voices have criticised the lack of stimulus for ordinary New Zealanders facing cost-of-living pressures. The big bonus is a forecast return to surplus in financial year 2028/29, one year earlier than previously forecast, using the government's favoured forecasting tool, OBEGALx. Five months out from the general election, Nicola Willis joins Jack Tame to discuss the government's record on economic stewardship, why the new bank tax won't be passed onto consumers, and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's "freeloaders" comment on New Zealand's defence spending. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.

People in this episode

Host: Jack Tame

Guest: Nicola Willis

Topics covered

• economic recovery
• budget speech
• cost of living
• defense spending
• government policy

Keywords

• budget
• economic stewardship
• surplus
• health investment
• infrastructure
• defense
• cost-of-living
• bank tax

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NZ on Air, US Secretary of War

Places: New Zealand

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