May 16, 2013
Asset sales and insulation in English budget
The Government says Meridian Energy will be the next state owned enterprise to be partially privatised, with as many as $3.3 billion in shares going on sale before the end of the year.
Delivering this year's budget, Finance Minister Bill English said the money will be used to pay for capital works including the Christchurch rebuild, the turnaround of KiwiRail and $80 million to support private irrigation projects.
There is also help for low-income families.
Mr English says the new spending is a combination of extending existing programmes, and new initiatives, picking up on the recommendations of the Expert Advisory Group on Child Poverty.
They include introducing a Warrant of Fitness test on housing.
There is $100 million over three years for the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes programme, $21 million over the next four years for rheumatic fever prevention, and extra $1.5 million for Budgeting Services in 2013/14.
The Government also intends to bulk buy whiteware that beneficiaries can buy using Ministry of Social Development repayable grants.
It will also investigate and pilot a partnership with NGOs and financial institutions to support the provision of low and no interest loans for low-income borrowers.
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