CoveragePost
November 27, 2025
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Papua New Guinea’s 2026 National Budget has drawn immediate opposition criticism from East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, who says the government continues to overspend, overestimate revenue, and deliver few tangible results for ordinary citizens. The K$30.9 billion (about NZ$12.8 billion) spending plan, unveiled earlier this week, has been ... <a title="East Sepik Governor Bird slams Marape’s ‘risky’ 2026 Budget overspend" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/11/27/east-sepik-governor-bird-slams-marapes-risky-2026-budget-overspend/" aria-label="Read more about East Sepik Governor Bird slams Marape’s ‘risky’ 2026 Budget overspend">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 23, 2025
We have been handed a long and protracted recession with few signs of growth and prosperity. Budget 2025 signals more of the same, writes Susan St John. ANALYSIS: By Susan St John With the coalition government’s second Budget being unveiled, we should question where New Zealand is heading. The 2024 Budget laid out the strategy. ... <a title="Govt should defuse NZ’s social timebomb – but won’t" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/23/govt-should-defuse-nzs-social-timebomb-but-wont/" aria-label="Read more about Govt should defuse NZ’s social timebomb – but won’t">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 22, 2025
Analysis by Keith Rankin. The central narrative of New Zealand’s Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is ‘There is only so much money to go around’. (For example, her interview on RNZ on 20 May, Willis on her second Budget, price of butter. The interview also covers, in the usual subservient way our media addresses these ... <a title="Keith Rankin Analysis – Zero-Sum Fiscal Narratives" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/05/22/keith-rankin-analysis-budget-2025-zero-sum-fiscal-narratives/" aria-label="Read more about Keith Rankin Analysis – Zero-Sum Fiscal Narratives">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
March 12, 2025
With the sudden departure of New Zealand’s Reserve Bank Governor, one has to ask whether there is a pattern here — of a succession of public sector leaders leaving their posts in uncertain circumstances and a series of decisions being made without much regard for due process. It brings to mind the current spectacle of ... <a title="How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/03/12/how-new-zealand-is-venturing-down-the-road-of-political-upheaval/" aria-label="Read more about How New Zealand is venturing down the road of political upheaval">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
February 12, 2025
COMMENTARY: By Robin Davies Much has been and much more will be written about the looming abolition of USAID. It’s “the removal of a huge and important tool of American global statecraft” (Konyndyk), or the wood-chipping of a “viper’s nest of radical-left marxists who hate America” (Musk) or, more reasonably, the unwarranted cancellation of an ... <a title="Powerless – another Asia-Pacific angle on the long siege of USAID" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/02/12/powerless-another-asia-pacific-angle-on-the-long-siege-of-usaid/" aria-label="Read more about Powerless – another Asia-Pacific angle on the long siege of USAID">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 15, 2023
RNZ Pacific New research shows that more than half of New Zealanders are struggling financially. The annual survey by the Retirement Commission found the number of people in financial difficulty increased by 17 percent since their first survey in 2021. A total of 55 percent reported being in a financially difficult position – including many ... <a title="More than half of New Zealanders struggling financially, says survey" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/08/15/more-than-half-of-new-zealanders-struggling-financially-says-survey/" aria-label="Read more about More than half of New Zealanders struggling financially, says survey">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 10, 2023
By Finn Blackwell, RNZ News reporter and Jordan Dunn, RNZ intern Auckland councillors crossed swords, singling out one another and raising impassioned concerns on debt borrowing, rates and selling council’s shares in Auckland Airport before deciding on their annual budget. Elected members ended yesterday’s meeting undecided but council reconvened this morning to hash out amendments ... <a title="Auckland city budget finally approved: Councillor likens debate to ‘eating rats’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/06/10/auckland-city-budget-finally-approved-councillor-likens-debate-to-eating-rats/" aria-label="Read more about Auckland city budget finally approved: Councillor likens debate to ‘eating rats’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 19, 2023
By Craig McCulloch, RNZ’s deputy political editor Young families are the clear target of Labour’s election-year Budget, but its flagship promise – cheaper childcare – will not kick in until next year. The 2023 Budget — billed as a “no frills” affair — is set against a volatile economic backdrop with the government now forecast ... <a title="NZ’s ‘no frills’ cost-of-living Budget centres on cheaper childcare" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/19/nzs-no-frills-cost-of-living-budget-centres-on-cheaper-childcare/" aria-label="Read more about NZ’s ‘no frills’ cost-of-living Budget centres on cheaper childcare">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 10, 2023
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Bergman, Senior Deputy Politics + Society Editor AAP/The Conversation, CC BY-ND. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has delivered his second budget with a heavy focus on cost-of-living relief for Australians who are struggling due to persistently high inflation and rising interest rates. While Chalmers says the economy should ... <a title="Australia’s Budget 2023 at a glance: major measures, cuts and spends" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/10/budget-2023-at-a-glance-major-measures-cuts-and-spends-205211/" aria-label="Read more about Australia’s Budget 2023 at a glance: major measures, cuts and spends">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
May 8, 2023
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra original A $14.6 billion four-year cost-of-living package will be the centrepiece of Labor’s second budget, which seeks to balance spending restraint with its election commitment to not leave people behind. The latter days of preparing the budget – which was ... <a title="View from The Hill: Budget ‘centrepiece’ will be $14.6 billion cost-of-living package" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/05/08/view-from-the-hill-budget-centrepiece-will-be-14-6-billion-cost-of-living-package-205192/" aria-label="Read more about View from The Hill: Budget ‘centrepiece’ will be $14.6 billion cost-of-living package">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
December 14, 2022
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinean Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey has clarified that the miscellaneous item of K2.6 billion in the budget will be spent on settling superannuation payments for government employees, unpaid rental bills and final entitlements to retired public servants, among other expenses. “The budget is broken up into many lines of expenditure,” he said. ... <a title="PNG Treasurer explains K2.6b ‘miscellaneous’ budget costs" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/12/14/png-treasurer-explains-k2-6b-miscellaneous-budget-costs/" aria-label="Read more about PNG Treasurer explains K2.6b ‘miscellaneous’ budget costs">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 31, 2022
By Stephen Forbes of Local Democracy Reporting Despite total borrowings reaching $11.1 billion, the Auckland Council Group’s latest results show it has managed to weather the worst of the storm created by the covid pandemic. But the super city’s statement to the NZX shows it will face some tough times ahead as it seeks to ... <a title="Super city Auckland’s council financial results signal tough times ahead" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/08/31/super-city-aucklands-council-financial-results-signal-tough-times-ahead/" aria-label="Read more about Super city Auckland’s council financial results signal tough times ahead">Read more</a>
