Finance Minister Bill English says this year's Budget will focus on supporting more jobs and higher incomes.
Finance minister Bill English appearing at the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee meeting. Photo: RNZ
Budget Day will be Thursday 15 May and the Government has said it will include about $1 billion of new spending.
Mr English announced the date during an appearance before the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee on Wednesday. He told the committee it will continue the focus on the Government's priorities.
National is also looking at health, some increase in the Defence budget and a big demand from police and education due to possible pay increases.
The economy is forecast to grow at least three percent in each of the next two years.
That would improve the government's finances and leading to a budget surplus of $86 million in the 2014-2015 fiscal year, its first since 2007-2008.
Mr English again rejected the notion an ageing population will have a negative effect on the Government's finances.
Asked why he didn't think the ageing population will have a negative effect on the books,
Mr English replied New Zealand was an open economy that deals with demographic changes all the time.
