Budget 2026 Set for May 28 With Focus on Core Services and Fiscal Discipline

The Finance Minister says Budget 2026 will demonstrate careful stewardship of public finances, with a limited number of priority commitments funded alongside continued efforts to rein in spending.

The Government will outline its financial priorities for the year ahead when it delivers Budget 2026 on 28 May, with a strong emphasis on core public services and tight spending control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed.

Ms Willis says the Budget will prioritise funding for health care, education, defence, and law and order, while maintaining firm discipline over discretionary government spending.

“This year’s Budget is about supporting the delivery of the services New Zealanders rely on most,” she says. “There will be no splashing the cash.”

Tight spending, targeted priorities

The Finance Minister says Budget 2026 will demonstrate careful stewardship of public finances, with a limited number of priority commitments funded alongside continued efforts to rein in spending.

“Careful stewardship of public finances is essential to fixing the basics and building the future,” Ms Willis says.

As with previous Budgets, savings, reprioritisation and restraint will be central themes, as the Government works to balance service delivery with restoring fiscal stability.

Tough choices to restore balance

Ms Willis acknowledges the decisions required to deliver the Budget will not be easy but says they are necessary to protect long-term public services.

“These sorts of decisions are always tough, but they are necessary to ensure we can continue to fund the public services people rely upon while getting the books back in order,” she says.

The Budget is expected to signal the Government’s broader economic approach ahead of the next election cycle, reinforcing a focus on cost control, efficiency and core responsibilities.