Budget News Releases

NZ Government, National

Created 23rd May; Updated 27th May.

The following news releases are likely to be of interest to the community and voluntary sector:

Arts, Culture: & Heritage:

One stop online access to cultural information
$3.6 million to develop an internet portal for NZ's cultural sector. 

Business:

Biz portal to lift SME business performance
$9.9 million over four years to develop the existing biz.org.nz site into a world class portal, particularly for small and medium organisations.

Employment/Welfare:

Welfare reforms: Sites for new work-focussed service announced
Trials of a new work-focussed service for all beneficiaries will begin in 12 locations across the country next month as part of the government's reform of the welfare system.

Environment:

Boost for sustainable business practice
New spending of $12.4 million over the next four years promotes sustainable business practices

Ethnic:

$4m package to support ethnic communities
Support and advocacy for ethnic communities will be enhanced with a $4.1 million package.

Health:

Budget 2005 health overview

$59 million for disability support services
Half is additional baseline funding for demographic and inflation adjustments. The rest is for residential disability care, and Needs Assessment and Service Co-ordination.

Home based care services get $18.7 million
Funding for home based care services for older New Zealanders rises by $12.4m, while services for younger people with disabilities receive a $6.2m increase.

Housing:

Marae-based Housing and Health Initiative
The Kôkiri Seaview Healthy Homes programme targets 250 households per year.

Information Technology:

The Digital Strategy – Creating a digital future
Nearly $60m more takes existing funding to $400m, in a practical and achievable plan to ensure all New Zealanders benefit from information and communications technology.

Maori:

Realising Mâori potential
A new, innovative approach to Mâori Affairs policy guided by achieving and realising Mâori potential 

Rural: 

New programme to boost rural leadership
A new Rural Leadership Development Programme

Senior citizens:

Older people’s needs recognised in budget
This ia a range of initiatives in this year’s budget

Social Development:

A sure start for children in need
Programmes aimed at children and families in greatest need will get a $47 million boost in this year's budget.

$100 million focus on jobs
The long term unemployed will be helped into jobs through a $21 million funding increase.

Sport:

Volunteers and regions get sport boost
Puts the spotlight on volunteers and regional sports development

State Services:

New IT skills programme to rollout to communities
A ‘train the trainers’ IT skills programme that will be rolled out to community learning centres in disadvantaged communities over the next two years.

Youth:

Ministry restructured to boost youth opportunities
Structural and funding changes to the Ministry of Youth Development with strength work to opportunities for young New Zealanders.

 

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Submitted by Bill Dashfield