The 2019 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update was released on Thursday, 30 May. The budget included net new operating spending of $15.2 billion and net new capital expenditure of $10.4 billion over the forecast period, compared with Budget 2018. This new spending is prioritised to support improved provision of mental health services, improved child wellbeing, Māori and Pasifika aspirations, investing in infrastructure, and improving productivity. Real GDP growth is forecast to average 2.6% per year across the forecast period to June 2023 while the unemployment rate is expected to decline to 4.0 in 2020 before ... (full story)