The education sector union NZEI TE Riu Roa is calling on the government to come clean about how increased employer contributions to Kiwisaver and other retirement schemes will be funded for the education sector.

Prime Minister John Key is making a mockery of his promise to seek an election-day mandate on changes to KiwiSaver, says Labour's Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

The Government has dumped the cost of health workers' Kiwisaver schemes on to District Health Boards, putting further pressure on budgets that are not keeping up with inflation and an ageing population, says Labour's Health spokesperson Grant Robertson.

The first nationwide post- Budget HorizonPoll shows the Government would not get a mandate to make changes to KiwiSaver, sell up to 49% of state-owned energy company shares or reduce its shareholding in Air New Zealand.

Finance Minister Bill English leaves on 23 May for Singapore and Hong Kong, where he will speak to business, investment and political leaders about New Zealand's progress in building faster growth and higher national savings.

Secondary schools will have less to spend on each student next year said Post Primary Teachers Association president Robin Duff. "The Budget does not compensate for inflation in schools' operations grant funding," he said.

Today's New Zealand Budget revealed continued baby steps towards a more sustainable retirement income system for New Zealand, and although it missed the opportunity to significantly improve our retirement savings environment, it provided positive steps in terms of managing the increasing economic

Changes to KiwiSaver in today's Budget Bill may be material to decisions about whether to invest in a KiwiSaver scheme.

"The combined impact of the Christchurch rebuild, high commodity prices and the proposed sell down of a minority stake in certain SOEs have provided the New Zealand Government with the leverage to get the country back to surplus a year earlier than expected," says PwC Chairman John Shewan.

Following the early childhood education revenue cuts of Budget 2010, the largest representative body of licensed early childhood centres in New Zealand has greeted Budget 2011 with "a sense of relief".

"Buckle up and get ready. The lack of bold ideas in this budget will be the big election issue in every town across Rangitikei in 2011," says Labour candidate for Rangitikei, Josie Pagani. Families in Rangitikei struggling to make ends meets have been hit hardest in this budget.

Working families looking for relief from rapidly rising prices and other costs will be sorely disappointed with today's Budget which will put even greater pressure on households already stretched to breaking point, the country's largest private sector union says.

Today's Budget is designed to save New Zealand's credit rating and lift our national savings rate with KiwiSaver, the Employers & Manufacturers Association says.

Improving savings in productive sectors crucial to economic growth The compliance costs for businesses of administering KiwiSaver contributions continue to mount with each change to the scheme, says Deloitte tax partner Greg Haddon.

Budget 2011 has freed up $5.2 billion out to 2014/15 - including $700 million in 2011/12 - to invest in improving frontline public services and reducing debt, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The Government believes there is significant merit in extending the mixed ownership model to four state-owned energy companies and reducing the Crown's majority shareholding in Air New Zealand.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said today that contents of the National Party coalition government's proposed 2012 budget are consistent with the assumptions that feed into our sovereign ratings on New Zealand (foreign currency rating AA+/ Negatve/A-1+; local currency rating AAA/Stable/A-

Prime Minister John Key says Budget 2011 sets out the next steps of the Government's programme to build faster growth, increase national savings and create sustainable jobs built on savings, exports and productive investment.

Budget 2011 builds a strong platform for jobs and growth, sets a credible path back to surplus by 2014/15 and helps increase national savings, Finance Minister Bill English says.

The Government needs to show it has more than tinkering skills to offer the country in tomorrow's budget. Economic growth and jobs come from a joined-up economic strategy not from more public sector bashing says the Public Service Association

Today, the Financial Markets Authority (previously the Office of the Government Actuary) approved the transfer of Huljich KiwiSaver members to the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme.

Throwing those who deliver vital public services onto the dole queue does nothing to create more private sector jobs or economic growth, says the PSA.

New Zealand's online predictions market, iPredict Ltd, will launch overnight three bundles of stocks aimed at predicting how aggressively the New Zealand Government will seek a return to surplus in this week's Budget.

KiwiSaver funds started 2011 strongly, despite global events, posting positive returns for the second consecutive quarter, according to Mercer's KiwiSaver survey.

Fisher Funds and Mike Pero Mortgages today announced an agreement for Mike Pero to distribute the Fisher Funds KiwiSaver Scheme.

KiwiSaver members should be able to use their accumulated funds to repay student loans, helping young people to start saving faster and cutting the amount of debt carried by the country as a whole, said Milton Jennings, chief executive of Fidelity Life.

Business will be pleased with the Prime Minister's basic plan outlined today aiming to increase the nation's savings to lift economic growth, the Employers & Manufacturers Association says.

If public sector agencies are forced to pay KiwiSaver contributions directly out of their budgets, tens of millions of dollars will be cut from health and other essential services, says the PSA.

Few prime ministerial economic speeches could be as less inspiring or more misleading than John Key's today, says Labour's Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

National's plan to cut KiwiSaver and Working For Families will hurt middle and low-income New Zealanders while doing nothing to address the huge economic problems this country is facing, says Labour Leader Phil Goff.