If Nicola Willis can pull this Budget off, it'll be impressive, because she has written a budget, by the looks of things, that is so tight, there is basically no new money. 

If you haven’t caught up on this, Nicola Willis gave a speech this morning in which she announced she was cutting back her new spending in this budget hugely. 

Her plan originally was to give herself $2.4 billion extra new money to spend. She’s just announced she’s cutting that basically in half to $1.3 billion. 

The last time a finance minister had that little to play with was Bill English in 2015 who gave himself only 1 billion in extra money that year. 

But it gets even better – because all of that money is already spoken for, last years budget promised this year’s budget would spend an extra $1.4 billion on health. Which basically means her $1.3 billion in new spending is already gone on that $1.4 billion health promise ... and she still has to find $100 million to make up the difference. 

AND ... she’s got to find another $150 million for the 26 new cancer drugs that were promised halfway through last year. 

So what that means is ... she has no new spending. In fact, add those two together and she’s already $250 million in the red and she’s going to find that by cutting public spending in other places. 

This is good. Because you don’t need me to tell the public service has got bloated and the spending of taxpayer money happens way too easily. Especially after Grant Roberton's free for all and going through spending with a fine-tooth comb and cutting what isn’t good or necessary is not a bad thing. 

It is a good fiscal discipline and the country will be better off for it.

I for one am pleased that we will not be going to this year’s budget wondering what we’re each getting out of the lolly scramble 

But instead, wondering how much has been cut and from where. 

<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">If Nicola Willis can pull this Budget off, it'll be impressive, because she has written a budget, by the looks of things, that is so tight, there is basically no new money. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">If you haven’t caught up on this, Nicola Willis gave a speech this morning in which she announced she was cutting back her new spending in this budget hugely. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">Her plan originally was to give herself $2.4 billion extra new money to spend. She’s just announced she’s cutting that basically in half to $1.3 billion. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">The last time a finance minister had that little to play with was Bill English in 2015 who gave himself only 1 billion in extra money that year. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">But it gets even better – because all of that money is already spoken for, last years budget promised this year’s budget would spend an extra $1.4 billion on health. Which basically means her $1.3 billion in new spending is already gone on that $1.4 billion health promise ... and she still has to find $100 million to make up the difference. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">AND ... she’s got to find another $150 million for the 26 new cancer drugs that were promised halfway through last year. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;">So what that means is ... she has no new spending. In fact, add those two together and she’s already $250 million in the red and she’s going to find that by cutting public spending in other places. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">This is good. Because you don’t need me to tell the public service has got bloated and the spending of taxpayer money happens way too easily. Especially after Grant Roberton's free for all and going through spending with a fine-tooth comb and cutting what isn’t good or necessary is not a bad thing. 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">It is a good fiscal discipline and the country will be better off for it.
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">I for one am pleased that we will not be going to this year’s budget wondering what we’re each getting out of the lolly scramble 
<p style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px 0px 10.6667px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; vertical-align: baseline; font-kerning: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: windowtext; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px;">But instead, wondering how much has been cut and from where.

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Can Nicola Willis pull off her no new money budget?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a9aae83f-3a0f-4d36-9458-b2ce004ac8e6/transcript