NZ govt operating 6-month surplus bigger than expected as fatter GST, income tax take beds in

Mon, 12 Feb 2018

By Paul McBeth Feb. 13 (BusinessDesk) - The New Zealand government's operating surplus was bigger than expected in the first six months of the 2018 financial year as low unemployment and upbeat consumer sentiment helped GST and income taxes continue to track ahead of forecast. The operating balance before gains and losses was a surplus of $1.09 billion in the six months ended Dec. 31, more than three times the $311 million surplus predicted, and up from a wafer-thin $9 million surplus a year earlier, the latest government accounts show....

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