Budget 2013 focuses on providing the maximum possible level of support for students in the early years of tertiary study and those from low-income families, while ensuring the system is sustainable for taxpayers.

The Government is investing in a new three-year insulation programme, which will deliver warmer, drier and healthier homes to communities in most need, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

Budget 2013 commits over $130 million over four years in new funding for investment in tertiary education, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce says.

Budget 2013 makes fundamental changes to the way the Government delivers housing assistance to those most in need, Housing Minister Nick Smith and Social Development Minister Paula Bennett say.

A further investment of $188.6 million for the next stage of welfare reform will ensure beneficiaries get more intensive support to move from welfare to work, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says.

Budget 2013 invests $40 million over the next four years in marketing and promoting New Zealand’s international education industry, as the country targets doubling the value of international education to $5 billion by 2025.

Budget 2013 will target overseas-based student loan borrowers with new initiatives to increase repayments and reduce defaulting, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne say.

Budget 2013 supports the Government’s target of further reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

Continuing improvements in ACC provide an opportunity for significant levy reductions to benefit businesses and households, ACC Minister Judith Collins says.

Finance Minister Bill English and Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler have signed a memorandum of understanding on measures aimed at further protecting the economy and financial system from boom and bust cycles.

Progress in the Government’s programme while on track to surplus

- Provides a suite of measures to build faster economic growth, support more jobs and deliver a more innovative and productive economy.

Budget 2013 confirms New Zealand is on the right track, with forecasts of economic growth, more jobs, rising wages, and a return to surplus by 2014/15, Finance Minister Bill English says.

Budget 2013 builds on the momentum created by the previous four Budgets across the Government’s wide-ranging programme, Prime Minister John Key says.

"Every Budget since 2009 has been presented against the backdrop of extremely challenging economic conditions.

Motorists are advised that work is due to start next week on improving the intersection of Lynden Court and Hukanui Rd in Chartwell.

The intersection is being altered to become left-turn only for traffic from Lynden Court on to Hukanui Rd.

The MANA Movement is today formally announcing the two nominees who are contesting for the MANA candidacy for the upcoming Ikaroa-Rawhiti by-election. Those two people are Te Hamua Nikora and Leon Hawea.

CPAG is looking to the Government for a strong indication that it now appreciates the scale and tragedy of child poverty in New Zealand.

New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters’ Reserve Bank bill was again drawn from the Members’ Bill Ballot today.

Maintaining cannabis prohibition in New Zealand is estimated to cost the taxpayer $500 million annually.

Maori Party Co-leader, Tariana Turia has rejected the ‘hot-air’ of Hone Harawira in his tirade against Kura Hourua in the House yesterday.

What is Adam Page, a self professed ‘looper’ and music improviser going to do with the burning questions that come out of the auditorium at the City Gallery this evening? What indeed, are ‘Burning Questions’?