Budget 2016's debt repayment focus risks being lost opportunity to stoke economy

Fri, 20 May 2016

By Jonathan Underhill May 20 (BusinessDesk) - The Treasury is likely to upgrade its forecasts for economic growth in Budget 2016 next week but Finance Minister Bill English has already signalled that more of his focus is on debt repayment than on fiscal stimulus or tax cuts. English said last week that although government debt levels aren't high by international standards, "we could be stretched if another economic shock or natural disaster hit." He's had plenty of evidence of the risks - net government debt soared from just 6 percent...

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