The Council of Trade Unions welcomes the Government’s investments in 2021 Budget released today. “We particularly welcome the spending on improving income support which will reduce all poverty including child poverty. However, the Budget should have gone further to secure essential public services for New Zealanders, and to deliver on the Government’s commitment to build back better,” said CTU Economist Craig Renney who was at today’s Budget Lockup “It was pleasing to see the investment in rail, in Māori housing, and in restoring the Training Incentive Allowance. These are signals that the Government is committed to moving in the right direction for working Kiwis and for those who want work. But they also need to make sure that they have funded the basics. Health purchasing (which excludes vaccines and MIQ spending) rose by well short of the amount necessary to keep up with the estimated $1.3bn of annual cost pressures. ECE funding rises by 1.2% – but inflation is forecast to be 2.4%, so it is a cut in real terms. There was nothing new for Kainga Ora to deliver additional state houses for the 25,000 applicants on the waiting list.”