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Mr Speaker,

I move that the Appropriation (2014/15 Estimates) Bill be now read a second time.

It’s a privilege to deliver the National-led Government’s sixth Budget.

It’s a particular privilege because this is the first Budget in six years to focus on managing a growing economy rather than recovering from a domestic recession and then the global financial crisis.

A growing economy supports employment and higher wages. It provides opportunities for families. And it pays for public services that New Zealanders rely on.

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be with you again today.

I would like to thank John and Raewyn and their team at the Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce for inviting me to speak to you again this year.

I also want to acknowledge the Chamber’s work in promoting the Wellington business community and in grappling with issues affecting businesses in the capital city.

It’s great to see measures of business confidence in Wellington rising.

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be with you again today.

My thanks to Michael and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and Steve and Massey University, for inviting me back to this annual event.

This is the fifth time I’ve spoken at this forum since becoming Minister of Finance.

With your support later this year, I look forward to returning in 2015.

The public service deserves congratulations on its achievements over the last five years because it’s unique in three ways.

The Kiwi Counts survey shows that, in general, the public thinks services are better now than they were five years ago, almost across the board.

Secondly, it’s been impressive that we’ve been able to meet our fiscal objectives every year for the past five years. That is very unusual by the standards of any developed country. I would argue that the path ahead looks more sustainable than we had expected.

Today I want to provide a bit of context for the work that you are doing now and will be doing over the next four or five years.

I think we all get very focused on the immediate demands that we face, and those of you with project management expertise have to focus on the details, because I was told over lunch time that when projects go wrong 30 per cent of the time it’s the project manager that gets sacked.

Even politicians have a higher survival rate than that. But it does mean that you have to focus.

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be here with you today.

Since I last spoke to the Trans-Tasman Business Circle, New Zealand has made considerable progress in a world still facing many economic challenges.

It has not been easy. And there is still plenty to do.

Many households and businesses are still finding the environment quite challenging.

Mr Speaker,

I move that the Appropriation (2013/14 Estimates) Bill be now read a second time.

It’s my privilege to deliver the National-led Government’s fifth Budget.

When I stood up to deliver the Government’s first Budget, in 2009, New Zealand faced challenges I think we’re only able to fully appreciate with the passing of time.

The world had entered the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, from which it has yet to fully emerge.

Good afternoon. It’s great to be with you today.

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to be with you again today.

As we look out at the next three-five years across the wider public service, there are a few issues that I think it would be useful for you, along with us, to be thinking about.

First though, I want to remind you in fairly simple terms about the general framework that the Government has brought to dealing with the huge challenge of providing public services in difficult times.

Good morning, it is a pleasure to open this conference.

The Chinese and New Zealand Governments enjoy a warm and constructive relationship, and the New Zealand political leadership has had the opportunity of frequent and open access to China’s most senior leaders. We are delighted to host China’s leaders on their frequent visits to New Zealand.

This year marks 40 years since the establishment of diplomatic and trade relations between China and New Zealand.

Good afternoon. Thank you to the Wellington Employers’ Chamber of Commerce for inviting me back to speak to you again this year – it’s a pleasure to be here.

Our ministers value opportunities like this to share ideas about how we can meet the challenges we face as a nation - and how we can grasp the many opportunities we have.

So I look forward to your comments and questions at the end of this session.

Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to join you here today.

My thanks to Michael and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and Steve and Massey University, for inviting me back to this annual event.

It’s now almost three months since John Key’s National-led Government was returned for a second term.

So today I want to outline the cornerstones of the policy programme you can expect from the Government over the next three years.

Good evening.

It's just over a year since Prime Minister John Key first outlined the Government's plans to sell minority stakes in its four energy companies and Air New Zealand.

Since then, there has been plenty of noise - mainly from our political opponents. So today I'd like to go back over the reasons why the Government is proceeding with mixed ownership.

The rationale is fairly simple - mixed ownership is a win-win for New Zealand.