Budget 2025: Five things to watch at 2pm

Budget 2025: Five things to watch at 2pm
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is to deliver her second budget on Thursday. (Image: NZME)
Rebecca Howard
Budget 2025 drops at 2pm, and while there's something for everyone, these five areas are ones to watch:When do the Treasury forecasts show the books back in the black? Finance Minister Nicola Willis says the goal is to hit a surplus in the year to June 2028. The forecasts, however, will likely stick to a surplus in the year to June 2029, despite the very tight operating budget. In December, the Treasury forecast a surplus of $1.9 billion in that year. The deficit peaks at $12.9b this year. The Government’s headline fisc...

More Economy

Record gold prices boon for scrap buyers
Primary Sector

Record gold prices boon for scrap buyers

New Zealanders are looking for money to be made in their jewellery drawers.

Smith & Caughey’s to close
Retail

Smith & Caughey’s to close

Auckland’s flagship department store Smith & Caughey’s will close for good within 10 weeks, with the loss of almost 100 jobs.A rescue attempt to save the famous retailer – which saw it close its Newmarket store last year and reduce the floor space of its ‘Grande Dame’ Queen St bu...

NZME 21 May 2025
Business inflation expectations heating up
Economy

Business inflation expectations heating up

Inflation expectations are on the rise. 

Rebecca Howard 21 May 2025
Napier Port to pay special dividend after $7.5m settlement
Economy

Napier Port to pay special dividend after $7.5m settlement

The Hawke's Bay port had a strong first half, handling 13.9% more containers.

Oliver Lewis 21 May 2025