Latest news with #SamRillstone
RNZ News
05-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Political commentators Brigitte Morten and Lianne Dalziel
Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced at a speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce the government is halving its operating allowance. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone Brigitte Morten is a director with public and commercial law firm Franks Ogilvie and a former senior ministerial advisor for the previous National-led government, a National Party member and currently volunteering for the party's deputy leader, Nicola Willis. Lianne Dalziel is a life member of the Labour Party and a former MP and Cabinet Minister. She ran as an independent for Christchurch's mayoralty in 2013 and was the city's mayor for three terms. She writes a regular column for
RNZ News
28-04-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
$1b cut to operating allowance coming in Budget, Nicola Willis says
Finance Minister Nicola Willis makes a pre-budget speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce. Photo: RNZ / Sam Rillstone The government is reducing its operating allowance - the new money it has available to spend at the Budget in May - from $2.4 billion to $1.3b. Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced the significant reduction at her first pre-Budget speech, adding that only a small number of government departments will receive additional funding this year. Willis said based on the forecasts she had seen the books will still be back in surplus by 2029. In her speech to the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce she confirmed there would be "no lolly scramble in Budget 2025". Instead, further public service savings to the tune of billions have been found to redeploy. New spending will be limited to health, education, law and order, defence, and some small spending in social investment, business growth, and targeted cost of living relief. More to come ... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
