This time of the political year is dominated by the Budget, which will be delivered by Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Thursday 28 May. The Budget is where the Government outlines its spending priorities, as well as setting its policies for managing the economy for the coming years.
Responsibly managing the economy is crucial to New Zealand’s ability to withstand international shocks and recover from unpredictable events. It means building up a buffer and restoring our financial security so there are more opportunities for hard-working Kiwis to get ahead.
In the lead-up to the Budget, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon reaffirmed National’s commitment to returning the books to surplus by 2028/29 and putting debt on a downward trajectory towards 40 percent of GDP. We’ll do this while continuing to invest in the essentials like health, education, defence, law and order, and infrastructure.
Education
This continued investment is evident in the next phase of Teaching the Basics Brilliantly, which is the Government’s education policy to raise achievement in reading, writing, and maths and ensure every child can benefit from a world-leading education.
We’ll be rolling out practical classroom resources like Maths Hubs, hands-on maths games and tools, writing workbooks, and digital learning support. There’ll also be more targeted interventions, additional maths intervention teachers, and new literacy and maths checks to help identify where students need extra support.
treaty settlements
In other news, I want to acknowledge the treaty settlements of Ngāti Tara Tokanui, Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu and Ngāti Hei, which officially passed their third readings in Parliament on Wednesday 13 May 2026.
It was a privilege to speak at the powhiri and in the House of Representatives, and to join my parliamentary colleagues and local iwi delegates to mark this historic occasion. These settlements involve years of research and negotiation, and I want to congratulate all those who have been involved in this treaty settlement process.
These iwi have been on a journey to get to this point, which encompasses their own histories, their own burdens, their own challenges and their own debates. Settling these treaty claims will not solve every issue overnight, but I’m hopeful that there is now a pathway forward which will benefit both current and future generations.
Treaty settlements are guided by a simple principle of doing the right thing. That commitment was made by former Prime Minister Jim Bolger when he and his colleagues embarked on this process back in the 1990s. The right thing was done here and I’m looking forward to seeing our people and our region prospering into the future.
