Pre-Budget 2004 Announcements

The press releases issued prior to the delivery of the Budget on 27 May 2004

The full Budget Speech text will be available at the Treasury Web site.

Budget: Family Safety Teams to address family violence	»»
Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Justice Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Police Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services A pilot scheme aimed at improving responses to family violence is being funded in Budget 2004, Justice Minister Phil Goff, Police Minister George Hawkins and Child, Youth and Family Services Minister Ruth Dyson announced today. (22 May 2004)

Budget: Quality assurance scheme for adult education	»»
Hon Marian Hobbs, Associate Minister of Education Adult and Community Education will receive new funding of $16.5 million over the next four years, Associate Education Minister Marian Hobbs announced today. (22 May 2004)

Budget: New Wiri Centre will further boost Auckland policing	»»
Hon George Hawkins Minister of Police A new Policing Centre to be built in Wiri's Station Rd will provide a further boost to policing in Auckland (21 May 2004)

Budget: War on poachers to go hi-tech	»»
Hon David Benson-Pope, Minister of Fisheries Hi-tech radio equipment will be introduced to help fisheries officers go after increasingly sophisticated poachers says Fisheries Minister David Benson-Pope. (20 May 2004)

Budget: Statistics investment ensures taxpayer money well spent	»»
Hon John Tamihere, Minister for Small Business A Budget 2004 investment of nearly $70 million over four years will strengthen New Zealand's official statistics and save money through more accurate targeting of government spending, Minister for Statistics John Tamihere says. (20 May 2004)

Budget: Goff announces increase in payment to jurors	»»
Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Justice Jurors' fees are to be increased and they will be able to claim parking and childcare expenses as part of a $9 million package in this year's Budget, Justice Minister Phil Goff announced today. (19 May 2004)

Budget: Government – Forest Industry Partnership	»»
Hon Hon Pete Hodgson, Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change The government has agreed to a package of new forestry sector initiatives that recognise forestry's value in addressing climate change. (19 May 2004)

Budget: More carbon credits on offer for climate-friendly projects	»»
Hon Pete Hodgson, Convenor of the Ministerial Group on Climate Change The government is offering more carbon credits to support projects that will reduce New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions. (18 May 2004)

Budget: Speech to Chen Palmer & Partners Business and Government Seminar	»»
Hon Dr Michael Cullen, Minister of Finance On the 27th of this month I will be presenting my fifth budget, and – inasmuch as one can say this of a budget in New Zealand – it is one of the more significant and exciting ones of recent history. (18 May 2004)

Budget: Police to form national security teams	»»
Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Police New Zealand's counter-terrorism capacity will be boosted by the formation of dedicated national security teams, Foreign Minister Phil Goff and Police Minister George Hawkins announced today. (18 May 2004)

Budget: New radio transmitter takes New Zealand to the Pacific	»»
Hon Steve Maharey, Minister of Broadcasting The government is to purchase a new $2.7 million digital transmitter for the highly regarded Radio New Zealand International, which broadcasts on short-wave to listeners across the Pacific. (18 May 2004)

Budget: More funding for Youth Offending Teams	»»
Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Justice The government is to spend $381,000 over the next two years to support the work of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in reducing youth crime, Justice Minister Phil Goff announced today. (18 May 2004)

Budget: New fund to strengthen NZ's global research links	»»
Hon Pete Hodgson, Minister of Research, Science and Technology The government is establishing a new research fund designed to help New Zealand scientists capture a bigger share of international research funding. (17 May 2004)

Budget: $39 million in Budget to fight meth, gangs	»»
Hon Jim Anderton, Chair of Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Justice Hon George Hawkins, Minister of Police The Government has allocated an additional $39 million in this year's Budget to tackle the methamphetamine trade and organised crime over the next four years, Justice Minister Phil Goff, Police Minister George Hawkins and Associate Health Minister Jim Anderton announced today. (17 May 2004)

Budget: NZ to open embassy in Cairo	»»
Rt. Hon Helen Clark, Prime Minister New Zealand is to open a new embassy in Egypt in 2006, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today. Helen Clark said $1.65 million had been flagged in Budget 2004 to allow work to begin on establishing the new post. (16 May 2004)

Budget: Small communities get $11 million boost for tourism infrastructure	»»
Hon Mark Burton Minister of Tourism Government is continuing to work closely with regions and communities across New Zealand to maximise opportunities for economic growth and well-being, Tourism Minister Mark Burton says. (14 May 2004)

Budget: $57 million boost to get young people into education, training or work	»»
Hon Steve Maharey, Minister for Social Development and Employment A $56.9 million package of new and expanded initiatives in Budget 2004 will cement in the government’s commitment to provide all 15 to 19 year olds with a kick start to their working lives (12 May 2004)

Budget: New funding to capture Aichi Expo opportunities	»»
Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade The Government is to spend $3.5 million to help New Zealand take full advantage of opportunities presented by participating in next year's Aichi Expo, Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced in Japan today. (12 May 2004)

Budget: Moving to lift education and living standards	»»
Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister of Education The government is backing the international education industry with a $40 million package of initiatives designed to lift our overseas profile, and strengthen the education sector through international exchanges of top students and staff, Education Minister Trevor Mallard announced today. (12 May 2004)

Budget: Prisons and tougher sentences only part of the answer	»»
Hon Paul Swain, Minister of Corrections A determined government effort to reduce the rate of prisoner re-offending, kick-started by extra funding from Budget 2004, was launched today by Corrections Minister Paul Swain. (12 May 2004)

Budget: boost for negotiating trade agreements	»»
Hon Jim Sutton , Minister for Trade Negotiations The Government would provide extra funding to help negotiate an ever-expanding web of trade agreements with other governments, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. (10 May 2004)

Budget: Strengthening our presence in global markets	»»
Hon Jim Sutton , Minister of Agriculture New Zealand businesses are a long way from their overseas markets, but the Government is to assist them to overcome the tyranny of distance, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. (10 May 2004)

Budget: Big Boost for Investment NZ	»»
Hon Jim Anderton, Minister of Industry & Regional Development Budget 2004 includes a significant financial boost of $26.5 million over the next four years to Investment New Zealand, Industry & Regional Development Minister Jim Anderton said today. (10 May 2004)

Budget: Attracting quality investment to New Zealand	»»
Hon Jim Anderton, Minister of Industry & Regional Development The Strategic Investment Fund is to receive additional operating funding of $4.025 million a year starting in the 2004-2005 financial year commencing on July 1, Industry & Regional Development Minister, Jim Anderton, said today. (10 May 2004)

Budget 2004: Enhancing investment promotion & attraction capability	»»
Hon Jim Anderton, Minister of Industry & Regional Development Investment New Zealand will receive additional funding of $6.632 million in 2004/05 and out-years to, amongst other things: (10 May 2004)

Budget 2004 Expanding & Enhancing the Strategic Investment Fund	»»
Hon Jim Anderton, Minister of Industry & Regional Development The Strategic Investment Fund, administered by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, will receive additional funding of $4.025 million in 2004/05 and out-years to support the expansion of Investment New Zealand's promotion and attraction capability. (10 May 2004)

Building up our market development capability	»»
Hon Jim Sutton , Minister of Agriculture Enhancing New Zealand Trade and Enterprise’s ability to facilitate more market opportunities for New Zealand companies is an important part of the Government’s focus, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. (10 May 2004)

Budget: Recreational fishing the focus of new research push	»»
Hon David Benson-Pope, Minister of Fisheries New research into recreational fishing will improve decision-making affecting the estimated one-in-five New Zealanders who go fishing each year, says Fisheries Minister David Benson-Pope. (09 May 2004)

Budget day: 27 May	»»
Hon Dr Michael Cullen, Minister of Finance Budget 2004 will be delivered on Thursday, 27 May, Finance Minister Michael Cullen announced. The budget will be Dr Cullen’s fifth and will demonstrate the government’s continuing commitment to leadership and partnership, growth and innovation, fairness and security, opportunity for all and to strong public services. (18 February 2004)

See previous budgets: 2003 | 2002