Budget 2013 Archived
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The Government is making a substantial investment in resources to help new mothers suffering with post natal depression and other mental illnesses.

Health Minister Tony Ryall says Budget 2013 is putting an extra $18.2 million over four years into dedicated maternal mental health beds and new specialist community services around the North Island for around 650 mothers and their babies a year.

Tony Ryall Health Budget 2013

Bill English John Key Prime Minister Finance Budget 2013
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Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain says $14.5 million in new funding for igovt services in 2013/14 demonstrates the commitment to improving New Zealanders’ online interactions with government.

The igovt services have two components:

Chris Tremain Budget 2013 Internal Affairs
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Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced $2 million in new funding to launch the New Zealand Story project – an initiative to help New Zealand companies gain a competitive advantage from the use of the New Zealand brand in international markets.

The funding forms part of the $400 million internationally focused growth package which is a centrepiece of Budget 2013.

Steven Joyce Economic Development Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 has recognised the importance of the Marsden Fund to New Zealand’s science and innovation system with a funding increase of $20 million over four years.

“This year’s increase for the Marsden Fund reaffirms Government’s on-going support for fundamental, investigator-led research. Since 2008 we have increased support for the Marsden Fund by 37 per cent,” Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

The funding forms part of the $100 million a year internationally focused growth package, which is a centrepiece of Budget 2013.

Steven Joyce Science and Innovation Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 will deliver $172.5 million over four years in new operating investment for early childhood education, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

The Government’s total investment in early childhood education in 2013/14 will be $1.5 billion, up from $860 million in 2007/08.

The $172.5 million includes $56.5 million in contingencies, to be drawn down as required.

Hekia Parata Budget 2013 Education
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The Government will provide $92 million over four years to pay carers who look after their own disabled adult family members with high or very high needs, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

This is in response to the Court of Appeal’s decision in Ministry of Health v Atkinson and others.

“Our society expects parents to care for and support their dependent children,” Mr Ryall says. “But the Court of Appeal ruled that this ‘social contract’ does not extend to continuing to care for adult sons and daughters who have a lifelong disability.

Tony Ryall Health Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 supports the Government’s target of further reducing reoffending by 25 per cent by 2017, Justice Minister Judith Collins says.

The Ministry of Justice has received $4.4 million in operating funding over two years from the Justice Sector Fund to extend restorative justice services by an additional 2,400 conferences by 2014/15.

This will bring the total number of restorative justice conferences to 3,600 each year.

Judith Collins Justice Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 invests $40 million over the next four years in marketing and promoting New Zealand’s international education industry, as the country targets doubling the value of international education to $5 billion by 2025.

Steven Joyce Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 delivers on the Government’s commitment to building a more competitive and productive economy with $200 million of new funding over the next four years for science and innovation, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce says.

“Science and innovation are key drivers of economic growth and international competitiveness. To achieve this, New Zealand needs to develop better linkages with international markets and be a stronger player in research and development,” he says.

Steven Joyce Science and Innovation Budget 2013
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Changes to the thin capitalisation rules will help ensure multinational companies investing in New Zealand pay their fair share of tax, Revenue Minister Peter Dunne says.

The changes flow from an issues paper released earlier this year.

“New Zealand welcomes foreign investors, but we expect everyone participating in the New Zealand economy to contribute their share of tax,” Mr Dunne says.

Peter Dunne Budget 2013
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Low-income families receive considerable further assistance in Budget 2013 to improve their quality of life, Finance Minister Bill English and Whānau Ora Minister Tariana Turia say.

Mr English, who chairs the Ministerial Committee on Poverty, says taxpayers already spend billions of dollars on social services, and the new spending in Budget 2013 is a combination of extending proven programmes, and new initiatives targeted at supporting vulnerable New Zealanders.

Bill English Tariana Turia Finance Budget 2013 Whānau Ora
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The Government is investing in a new three-year insulation programme, which will deliver warmer, drier and healthier homes to communities in most need, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

Budget 2013 allocates $100 million of operating funding over three years to the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes programme, targeting low-income households for home insulation, particularly those families with children and high health needs. It is expected to insulate around 46,000 additional houses.

Simon Bridges Energy and Resources Budget 2013
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The Government is taking the next step in its share offer programme and preparing Meridian Energy for partial sale later this year, Finance Minister Bill English and State Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall say.

This follows the successful listing last week of Mighty River Power on the New Zealand Stock Exchange.

Bill English Tony Ryall Finance Budget 2013 State Owned Enterprises
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All Housing New Zealand tenancies will be reviewed to ensure state housing is focused on people with the highest housing need, Housing Minister Nick Smith says.

“The Government will this year develop pathways for New Zealanders in social housing to regain independence and self-sufficiency as their individual circumstances permit and as alternatives allow,” he says.

“Reviewable tenancies, which currently apply to some tenants, will then be extended progressively to all social housing tenants.

Nick Smith Housing Budget 2013
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Police funding in Budget 2013 will continue to be directed at preventing and reducing crime and rolling out new technology to help frontline officers work more effectively and keep communities safe, Police Minister Anne Tolley says.

Baseline operating spending for Police is being maintained at $1.49 billion in 2013/14, as Police remain firmly focused on meeting their Better Public Service target of a reduction in recorded crime of 15 per cent by 2017.

Anne Tolley Police Budget 2013
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A further investment of $188.6 million for the next stage of welfare reform will ensure beneficiaries get more intensive support to move from welfare to work, Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says.

Paula Bennett Social Development Budget 2013
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Budget 2013 delivers $901 million in the current year and over the next four years for operating initiatives to lift educational achievement at every level of the system – from early childhood, to primary, to secondary, and into training for work, Education Minister Hekia Parata says.

“We are increasing spending on education – for the fifth Budget in a row. The Government’s total investment increases to over $9.7 billion for the 2013/14 financial year.

Hekia Parata Education Budget 2013
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New Zealanders with or at risk of developing diabetes and heart disease will benefit from a $35.5 million boost of new funding over four years, Health Minister Tony Ryall says.

“Diabetes is one of our fastest growing long-term conditions, and cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in New Zealand. We are committed to improving health services for diabetes and heart disease - with a strong focus on prevention,” he says.

Tony Ryall Health Budget 2013
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Continuing improvements in ACC provide an opportunity for significant levy reductions to benefit businesses and households, ACC Minister Judith Collins says.

“The Government is confident that a decrease in ACC levies is sustainable and is allowing for a reduction of around $300 million for 2014/15, increasing to a reduction of around $1 billion in 2015/16,” Ms Collins says.

This follows a $630 million reduction in levies for households and businesses in 2012/13.

Judith Collins ACC Budget 2013