Francis Pauwels
Grow Rotorua Ltd chief executive
"The new $25 million Regional Research Initiative is fantastic news and made for Rotorua. The stand-out obvious area is in adding value to export logs through higher technology manufacturing such as for engineered wood products for both domestic and export markets. This would be a dream outcome for Rotorua and the local timber industry and could leverage off the Scion Innovation Centre funding also."
Darrin Walsh
Rotorua Chamber of Commerce chief executive
"I haven't had a chance to have an in-depth look into the Budget but what I've seen so far is reasonably positive for business. I am pleased to see there has been some focus on the business sector with funding, including up to $25 million over three years to support the establishment of new, privately led Regional Research Institutes, $12.1 million for New Zealand Business Number to provide a unique identified for businesses to use when interacting with the Government and $80 million extra for research and development growth grants."
Deryck Shaw
Lakes District Health Board chairman
"The allocation of $320 million across the 20 district health boards is very good news. The health sector had done very well to secure a significant amount of the total additional government spend, particularly in terms of the pressure from other sectors for extra money. The health sector has secured additional funding because of its record in delivering against the range programmes, with positive health outcomes for the community."
Patrick Walsh
John Paul College principal and former Secondary Principals' Association president
"I am happy the Budget has invested extra funding into special needs as there are many young people who dearly need that additional support and I think it was strategically a smart move to invest more into early childhood education as it is vital to establish a foundation of learning at a young age. However, I think it is a bad idea to pour money into charter schools and I was disappointed at the 1 per cent operational costs increase as it is not enough to cover the growing costs of running a school."
Tamati Coffey
Rotorua Labour Party spokesman
"The Budget is another National Party failure which does nothing for the public perception of politicians as a whole. Despite National's claims to be the better economic manager they have made seven deficits in seven years compared to Labour's nine surpluses in nine years. Rotorua has just hosted Trenz, encouraging more travellers to our shores and a day later National unveils the bombshell that they will be putting a tax in place for incoming and outgoing flights. Not only is this contradictory, it has to have a damaging effect to all Kiwi tourist destinations."
Roana Bennett
General manager of Ngati Whakaue's Te Taumata Trust
"There is no lolly scramble in this Budget and nor did we expect one. But there is increased funding for education, particularly for whanau in need, and this is positive for our community. Education is the key to success and the pathway out of poverty. No one has a magic wand to address issues related to poverty and inequity, but education achievement is a high level priority that all of us can collaborate on."
Professor Margaret Noble
Waiariki Institute of Technology chief executive
"We welcome any increase in funding that enhances our ability to provide educational opportunities for the people within our rohe. While we are looking forward to reviewing today's Budget announcement more closely to further understand the implications for Waiariki, it is positive to see the recognition for additional funding in areas such as Maori and Pasifika trade training, trades academies, as well as literacy and numeracy."
