The Wire with Jemima Huston

The government’s budget for 2019 was announced yesterday afternoon by minister of finance Grant Robertson, who delivered the publication. The focus seems to be on vulnerable communities, Kiwi’s well-being, among other priorities, with a trajectory towards social issues such as mental health, addiction, and poverty in the budgets financial forecast. While this is good to see in many ways, it can’t be said that everyone will be happy about these economic decisions. Now for someone with a very low understanding of economics, Louis had the pleasure of speaking with Shamubeel Eaqub; an experienced independent economist & commentator, who made economics very easy for Louis. Here he is, breaking down the budget.

The government has accepted 38 out of 40 of the recommendations made by the mental health and addiction inquiry report. Olivia Holdsworth spoke to NZ Union of Students' Associations National President James Ranstead about how recommendations and began by asking how the union feels about about the government’s response to the mental health and addiction inquiry.

Another angle to this whole budget debacle is the PR side. Who is responsible for the blunder, or at least, who has to take the fall. Former political PR person Ben Thomas knows a lot about all of that, Stewart Sowman-Lund spoke to him and asked him just how bad this all is for the government.

Host Stewart chats to Labour Minister Andrew Little. This week, it’s all budget - whose heads should roll for the supposed leak, which portfolios are getting a good investment, and has Labour had to sell out to New Zealand First. Have a listen.