fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 21 May 2025 12:25

Debt monster

Written by  The Hound

OPINION: It's good news that Finance Minister Nicola Willis has slashed $1.1 billion from new spending, citing "a seismic global economic event" - Donald Trump's trade tariffs - and unsustainable debt, but with the Government reportedly borrowing $500 million a week, interest costs now exceed the combined budgets of Police, Corrections, Justice and Defence.

New spending will drop from $2.4b to $1.3b though, with Willis wary of the interest bill spiraling out of control.

She criticised "extravagant" wage demands such as the 12% claim by striking senior doctors.

Some commentators opined that savings are likely to come from stalled programmes and unfilled vacancies - not mass redundancies.

Your old mate reckons the public service needs to wake up and realise the country's coffers have been left in a right state and some spending demands are necessarily off the table for the foreseeable.

More like this

Pigs Flew

OPINION: On the same day that pigs were reportedly seen airborne over the capital, a political journalist gave the PSA union a chip for being biased towards Labour – not the revelation of the year if you ask the Canine Crusader, but very rare to hear coming from a member of the press gallery.

Half A Brain

OPINION: When Donald Trump returned to the White House, many people with half a brain could see the results for the world might be a bit average, and our boy has been busy trying to prove them right.

Dirty Pool!

OPINION: President Trump's tariff wars have torpedoed the US grain belt's biggest market, China, sending many US family farms to the wall.

Featured

Rural Industry Leaders Event Raises $400,000

New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.

National

Machinery & Products

Look Beyond Features

Technology adoption on New Zealand dairy farms has accelerated rapidly over the past decade.