Budget 2018: Foundations for the Future

Budget 2018 lays the foundations for New Zealanders to have better lives in the decades ahead.

That starts with making sure all New Zealanders have access to the high-quality public services they need and deserve, like health, education, and housing; and it continues with shifting the settings of our economy for more productive, sustainable and inclusive growth to face the challenges of the future.

Budget 2018 provides the first steps in a plan for transformation.

It’s a transformation of our economy, a transformation of our public services, and a transformation of the way we work together to improve the lives of all New Zealanders.

It’s also a responsible Budget – not just fiscally, but also socially and environmentally.

Read more about what’s in Budget 2018 below – and to visit the official Budget 2018 website, please click here.

Budget Press Releases

• Foundations for the Future – Hon Grant Robertson
• Strong Government finances and a strong economy – Hon Grant Robertson
• Better lives for children a focus of Budget 2018 – Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern

Rebuilding critical public services

• Fixing our hospitals – Hon Dr David Clark
• $2 billion boost for District Health Boards – Hon Dr David Clark
• Helping more Kiwis get the medical care they need – Hon Dr David Clark
• Government acts to support midwives – Hon Dr David Clark & Hon Julie Anne Genter
• Future-proofing air ambulance services – Hon Dr David Clark
• Hundreds of new classrooms and 1,500 new teachers – Hon Chris Hipkins
• Early learning service get first across-the-board funding rates increase in a decade – Hon Chris Hipkins
• Long overdue boost for learning support – Hon Chris Hipkins & Hon Tracey Martin
• Thousands already benefiting from fees-free post-school education and training – Hon Chris Hipkins
• Focus on supporting Māori students and strengthening te reo – Hon Kelvin Davis
• New focus on re-integration and community management to reduce re-offending – Hon Kelvin Davis
• Focusing on community safety and targeting organised crime – Hon Stuart Nash
• Better support for youth justice and victims of crime – Hon Andrew Little & Hon Aupito William Sio
• Stepping up to help survivors of sexual abuse – Hon Iain Lees-Galloway & Jan Logie
• Significant funding boost for family violence services – Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Hon Tracey Martin & Jan Logie
• Delivering for Canterbury – Hon Megan Woods
• Taking action to sort out insurance and Earthquake Commission mess – Hon Megan Woods & Hon Andrew Little
• An independent fiscal institution for New Zealand – Hon James Shaw & Hon Grant Robertson

Taking action on child poverty, housing and homelessness

• Government ramps up drive to reduce child poverty – Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
• Building houses to tackle the crisis – Hon Phil Twyford & Hon Jenny Salesa
• Healthier homes for more Kiwi families – Hon Megan Woods & Hon James Shaw
• Investing in our children – Hon Tracey Martin

Promoting economic development and supporting the regions

• First Steps – restoring New Zealand’s Foreign Service – Rt Hon Winston Peters
• New Zealand to boost development spending – Rt Hon Winston Peters
• Bloodstock tax rules to change – Rt Hon Winston Peters
• Provincial New Zealand wins big – Hon Shane Jones
• Research and development key to building a stronger and more productive economy – Hon Megan Woods & Hon Stuart Nash
• Investing in our rangatahi – Hon Nanaia Mahuta & Hon Willie Jackson
• Youth employment training places double – Hon Carmel Sepuloni & Hon Ron Mark
• Protecting our workers from exploitation – Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
• Strengthening our hand against migrant exploitation – Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
• New services to support refugees – Hon Iain Lees-Galloway
• Cracking down on tax dodgers and restoring fairness – Hon Stuart Nash
• Protecting communities by targeting drug smugglers – Hon Meka Whaitiri
• Budget improves cyber threat response – Hon Clare Curran

Enhancing and protecting our natural resources

• Stronger biosecurity to protect the foundations of our primary sector – Hon Damien O’Connor
• Science boost for key farm management tool – Hon Damien O’Connor & Hon David Parker
• Growing a sustainable and productive primary sector – Hon Damien O’Connor & Hon James Shaw
• A green light for our net-zero-emissions future, sustainable jobs and growth – Hon James Shaw
• Budget backs nature – Hon Eugenie Sage
• Backing nature – funding a future for native species – Hon Eugenie Sage
• Resource Management Act oversight unit to be established – Hon David Parker

Enriching New Zealand’s culture and identity

• Recognising the importance of our arts, culture and heritage – Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern
• Supporting quality media and NZ’s digital economy – Hon Clare Curran
• Enhancing Defence Force capability – Hon Ron Mark
• Māori Development focuses on housing, training and whenua – Hon Nanaia Mahuta
• Bringing back manaakitanga – Hon Kelvin Davis, Hon Nanaia Mahuta, Hon Peeni Henare, Hon Willie Jackson & Hon Meka Whaitiri
• Support for safe and healthy local communities – Hon Nanaia Mahuta