Budget roundup

I’v now had time to look at the main Budget documents. The 2019 Budget is a pretty typical Labour budget – a bit of extra money here and there, but nothing exceptional let alone transformational.

In another unfortunate incident, the woman who appears on the cover of the Budget has actually moved to Australia as she couldn’t afford the cost of renting in Auckland. And recall Labour has passed all sorts of laws that are forcing rents up.

Bomber Bradbury harshly says ” With this budget, the Government have shown us they define ‘transformational’ about as well as Treasury defines ‘hack’.”

John Armstrong says two people need to resign:

The chief executive of the Treasury, Gabriel Makhlouf, must resign.
It might have been Budget Day, thereby making his departure hugely inopportune for the Labour-led Government. That’s just tough. Makhlouf has to go. And forthwith.

He totally misrepresented what happened to the public. What was Treasury incompetence was painted as a sophisticated criminal hack.

There is another very pertinent question lingering in the background. Should Robertson also be tending his resignation as a Cabinet minister or be sacked by the Prime Minister? The answer is an emphatic “yes”.
A breach of Budget secrecy — especially one of this week’s magnitude — is something so serious that resignation is mandatory.The applicability of ministerial responsibility demands nothing less. But it ain’t going to happen.
Robertson is exempt from having to fall on his sword. That exemption is by Labour Party decree. He is just too darned valuable.

Grant is arguably their most competent Minister. If they lose him, then they’ll be down to only three competent Ministers. So no matter what, he is safe.