Our experts have taken a deep dive into Budget 2024 and what it means for tax, Kiwi businesses, and key sectors including health, aged care, and property and construction.

Kiwi businesses

More certainty needed for businesses

If you currently own a business, operating in a volatile world is your new normal. With so many uncertainties to navigate, Greg Thompson says businesses owners and leaders should be able to rely on clear rules so they can start making informed decisions and plan with confidence. He explores five areas annual Budgets need to cover so the business community can move forward with clarity and certainty.

Tax

Only bold long-term thinking can fix our tax system and infrastructure crisis

While the Budget delivered some tax cuts, Murray Brewer says more bold-long term thinking is required to fix our tax system and reinvest subsequent savings in NZ’s infrastructure crisis. He takes a deep dive into the roadblocks preventing better taxation and where the hundreds of billions of dollars we need to fund infrastructure projects could be found.

Health

Time is running out for overbooked, underfunded and burnt-out GPs

This year, the Budget fell short in a number of areas, with the provision of training for only 25 new doctors per year over the next four years. It’s also unclear if these new doctors will eventually take up permanent positions in our desperately under-resourced primary care sector. Pam Newlove covers missed opportunities for health in Budget 2024 and potential solutions for our ailing primary care practices.

Property & construction

Beyond a political tug-of-war for NZ’s property and construction sector

For too long our property and construction industry has been embroiled in a political tug-of-war. Dan Lowe says this year’s Budget is a positive step in the right direction with no surprises and more transparency that will hopefully lead to elevated confidence in this complex asset class.

Aged care

Where’s the support for aged care facilities running at a loss?

Aged care wasn’t a priority again this year which is concerning given New Zealand will be up to 12,000 beds short in just under a decade. Although there is some action on the horizon with Te Whatu Ora working to come up with recommendations and new funding models for the sector, and the recent announcement of an inquiry into aged care conducted by the Health Select Committee – more support is desperately needed for the facilities running at a loss. Ryan Campbell and Iain Blakeley highlight why more expenditure is mission critical for aged care.