The government's fiscal hole, support for rough sleepers, and AT restructures w/ the National Party's Carl Bates: September 9, 2025

Recent Budget documents have shown an almost $8.5 billion hole in future funding.

Most of these cost pressures were in Education, the Defence Force, Health, Disability Support Services, and Transport.

As well as this, the government has outlined their plans to assist those rough sleeping. This follows the government previously tightening the eligibility for those seeking emergency housing, which critics say has resulted in an increase in those sleeping on the street.

This follows the release of the Homeless Insights Report, showing a large spike in those sleeping without adequate accommodation.

And Auckland Transport is set to face some large changes.

For our weekly catchup with the National Party’s Carl Bates, News and Editorial Director Joel spoke to Bates about these topics, starting with the hole in future funding.