Reprioritising Towards Front-line Spending
Mr Speaker,
I now turn to the Budget's main new initiatives.
The largest share of new spending has been dedicated to improving core front-line government services.
The health sector will receive $1.7 billion of new funding over the next four years. In addition, a further $500 million of expenditure has been reprioritised within the sector.
District Health Boards will receive the bulk of this funding, including around $400 million in the next year alone.
This will fund a wide range of initiatives, including care for first-time mothers, widened access to medicines funded through DHBs, additional elective surgery, increased disability support services and training more doctors.
The Government's commitment to raising education standards remains strong, so that all young New Zealanders reach their potential.
The Budget provides an extra $1.4 billion for education, including over $100 million of new capital spending. In addition, a further $356 million has been reprioritised.
This builds on the past two years' investment in early childhood education, National Standards and the Youth Guarantee.
Early childhood education also receives an additional $550 million.
The justice sector is to receive $157 million in new funding in Budget 2011 to ensure access to justice and increase public safety.
There are significant initiatives elsewhere where a strong case was made for additional funding.
Statistics New Zealand receives $58 million of new funding to rebuild 20-year-old IT systems that will ensure the ongoing supply of important economic and social data.
The Irrigation Acceleration Fund has been expanded with $35 million of new funding over the next five years. This will help support the development of new water harvesting, storage and distribution infrastructure.
Budget 2011 provides significant capital and operational funding to strengthen delivery of school and community-based Māori language initiatives, help schools to engage better with Māori students, improve literacy and support Kura Kaupapa Māori.
Budget 2011 provides an additional $25 million over the next four years for Whānau Ora, with a further $5 million to be reprioritised from within Vote Māori Affairs.
I particularly thank the Hon Dr Pita Sharples and the Hon Tariana Turia as the Ministers responsible, together with the rest of the Māori Party.
