Did Coalition agreements undermine 'targeted' Budget spending? Nicola Willis questioned | Q+A 2025

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says Budget 2025 "targeted" its spending to encourage business productivity and give some relief to low-income families through Working For Families tweaks. But the Budget also includes money for policies like increased private school funding, rates relief for SuperGold card holders, lower excise rate on heated tobacco products, and universal Superannuation payments. Willis says it reflects National's commitment to its coalition agreements. Treasury's forecasts this week also continue to predict National will not be able to keep its 2023 election promise of returning the books to surplus by 2027. Willis says the previous Labour Government's approach to spending means she has not had "an easy run". She also says the Government remains committed to meeting its Paris climate agreements — which could cost billions but isn't reflected in the books — and National's election promise to halve child poverty by 2028 — despite Treasury's forecasts predicting Budget 2025 would keep poverty rates as they are. Join Jack Tame and the Q+A team and find the answers to the questions that matter. Made with the support of NZ on Air.