Climate Change initiatives hinted for upcoming Budget

Posted: 04 May 2021

Finance Minister Grant Robertson has hinted at climate change spending and cost-cutting in what's been described as the Recovery Budget.  In a pre-Budget speech today, Robertson said he asked each minister to look again at the areas of COVID-19 spending for which they were responsible to see if it costs could be cut.  It resulted in $926 million - almost $1 billion - worth of savings.

"Almost every sector of our economy is affected by the carbon budgets that have been outlined by the Climate Commission," Robertson said.  "I will have more to say at Budget time about our approach to meeting the targets we have set, but we will continue to look for not just the measures we must take to reduce emissions but the possibilities and opportunities that exist to create high paying and sustainable jobs as we make that transition."  

This year's Budget will be announced on May 20.  Read more here.