Budget 2016 was safe and predictable, pretty much like the
persona of Finance Minister, Bill English. This is the eight budget Bill
English has delivered.
Some say his budgets lack vision. It may be true to say
they lack excitement but it's not fair to say they lack vision. His long-term
objective is very clear, it's just that it happens to be a vision that most
people don't get excited about. His goal
is to have net debt down to 20% of annual GDP (gross domestic product - the
value of goods produced by our economy) by 2020. That net debt is forecast to peak at 25.6% of GDP next year and drop below 20%
by 2020/21.
