But if the train service gets rid of a lot of cars from the roads, the taxis will move faster which is the whole point, is it not.

Win-win

I've yet to hear anyone give a decent explanation how a light train to the airport is going to solve Auckland's traffic issues.

I travel between Auckland airport and the Epsom Newmarket area a lot for work and I've almost never had any issues. I do allow for traffic when booking my return taxi but usually that just gives.me a.bit of extra time to enjoy a beer at the airport.

So I'm not sure how.much impact the rail link will really have. Although I support the idea in principle if done well.

As said in the link I provided, and Auckman’s post, this is about far more than a simple cbd airport connection.

When does the budget come out?

When does the budget come out?

I travel between Auckland airport and the Epsom Newmarket area a lot for work and I've almost never had any issues. I do allow for traffic when booking my return taxi but usually that just gives.me a.bit of extra time to enjoy a beer at the airport.

So I'm not sure how.much impact the rail link will really have. Although I support the idea in principle if done well.

3.1b surplus expected to rise to 7b by 2022. Excellent job by National.

In convincing labour they need to play by their rules? Yes, agreed.

3.1b surplus expected to rise to 7b by 2022. Excellent job by National.

THE POLICIES:

• Health: $3.2 billion injection over four years, including $2.2b more for DHBs and $126m for elective surgeries and other areas. $750m for hospital upgrades and rebuilds.

• Cheaper doctor visits for more than 500,000 people. Free GP visits extended to 13-year-olds (56,000 more children). About 540,000 people eligible for Community Services cards will get $20 to $30 cheaper GP visits. Cost $385 m.

• Midwives: $112m more for community midwives, including 8.9 per cent fee increase to level them with DHB midwives.

• Housing: $3.8b to build 6400 more state houses by 2022 and $170m for emergency housing. Insulation subsidies for low-income families. HNZ to borrow $3b.

• Education: $395 million to build new schools and classrooms. Includes $62 million for Christchurch schools rebuild and $332m nationwide.

• Education: $650m for schools. Includes $204m more for a 1.6 per cent increase to schools' operational funding and to cover school roll growth.

• $370m to fund 1500 new teacher places 2021 ($70m more than National funded).

• Early childhood education: $590m to fund more places and a 1.6 per cent funding increase for ECE centres from January 2019.

• Police: $300 mill for 920 more police officers and 240 support staff.

• Defence: $367.7m in extra operating funding to the Defence and Veterans portfolios over the next four years, underpinned by an extra $324.1m for the NZDF operating budget. Also, $42.3m in new capital funding for modernisation.

What??????????????????????????????

I Demand My $11Bn hole.

Or was that another lie? Who am I kidding, of course it freaking was

It shouldn't remain unsaid that much of this surplus is a result of wage inflation and Labour are refusing to adjust the income tax brackets. In 2017 a person on the mean income pays about $1000 more tax each year than a person on the mean income in 2010. People most people are pushing well into the second-highest tax bracket which starts at a lowly $48,000. Many are also hitting the top bracket at just $70k and would by no means consider themselves rich.

It's all well and good for Robertson to crow about surpluses but that's basically admitting that the tax take is too high. Give it back Grant

They've buried all the borrowing in the books of Crown entities. Very sneky

The government is committed to bringing down debt. You need a surplus to achieve that.

How much of this will be a real increase in services as opposed to keeping up with increased costs and demands? Is there a breakdown of that?

How much of this will be a real increase in services as opposed to keeping up with increased costs and demands? Is there a breakdown of that?

The two aren't mutually exclusive

There's been a lot of talk from Labour about the squeeze on middle NZ, alleviating bracket creep is one thing the Govt could do with the stroke of a pen.

Bracket adjustments aren't tax cuts, they just maintain status quo. Without them, taxpayers face ever increasing tax burdens. That's unfair on taxpayers and unreasonable from the government.
In 2 years time in the run up to the next election when Ardern and Robertson are crowing about Labour's economic management it might well be possible that about 40% of NZ earners are paying in the top tax bracket.

No idea. It's all over the media at the moment so there will be a breakdown somewhere.

The $300 million for Christchurch became official today though.

Indeed, the $3.2 billion for health over four years is pretty much the same as the much maligned Jonathan Coleman achieved in last year's budget, unless this is on top of that?

It's hard to sift through the appropriation documents. Looking at the tertiary education one, I see an increase for the government subsidy for teaching delivery. John Gerritsen on the other hand looks at the same document and sees no increase. He'll know vastly more what he's looking at, so I'm sure he's right - so is there an increase or not? Is there not an increase as an increase was already locked in from the last budget? Or perhaps the rate per student is flat but the number of students is increasing?

Any picks for the next polytech to fold?

It shouldn't remain unsaid that much of this surplus is a result of wage inflation and Labour are refusing to adjust the income tax brackets. In 2017 a person on the mean income pays about $1000 more tax each year than a person on the mean income in 2010. People most people are pushing well into the second-highest tax bracket which starts at a lowly $48,000. Many are also hitting the top bracket at just $70k and would by no means consider themselves rich.

It's all well and good for Robertson to crow about surpluses but that's basically admitting that the tax take is too high. Give it back Grant

They should increase the tax rate. Better yet, they should increase the tax rate from whatever amount you are earning. That sounds fair.