KEY POINTS:
The Budget sets low to middle-income New Zealanders up for a few warm fuzzies in the next few years with millions being poured into improving house insulation.
Energy Minister David Parker and Housing Minister Maryan Street said yesterday spending would go towards energy efficiency investments to assist businesses, households, motorists and consumers,
They confirmed $22.4 million capital towards insulation and clean heating retrofits for state houses.
Another $23.3 million in operating funding would include $6 million over four years for another 32,000 insulation retrofits for low-income families in homes.
An additional $5 million available through the Electricity Commission would be put towards an interest-free loans programme to provide insulation and clean heating retrofits for middle-income households.
Other spending includes the funding of an ocean survey in the Bay of Islands to collect geographical and biological information.
Over four years $43.9 million will go towards implementing a 10-year plan to clean up the seriously degraded Rotorua lakes.
Kevin Hackwell, Forest and Bird advocacy manager, was disappointed the annual funding of the Department of Conservation was barely keeping up with inflation.
"The budget was written on recycled paper, which is good, but in terms of conservation it is not worth the paper it is written on."
