Morning Report's Corin Dann has hosted a panel of commentators and analysts as they dissected the Budget.
NZME head of business news Fran O'Sullivan; economics and politics journalist Bernard Hickey, former Green MP and project manager for left wing think tank Economic and Social Research Aotearoa, Sue Bradford, and Māori political commentator Morgan Godfery were in RNZ's Auckland and Wellington studios.
Watch their panel discussion here:
Finance Minister Grant Robertson has delivered what he described as a landmark Budget with record spending on mental health, welfare changes and a surprise boost for rail.
At its centre was a $1.9bn mental health package. Other big ticket items included $1bn for KiwiRail , an $80m boost for Whānau Ora and a $535m on welfare reform including major benefits to average wage increases.
While some wanted something more radical to lift poverty and improve housing, Mr Robertson said the point of the wellbeing approach was to start down the path towards a different way of doing things.
