8 May 2017

PM: Govt budget to target most vulnerable; Peters 'irresponsible' on Pike

From Morning Report, 7:27 am on 8 May 2017

The Prime Minister Bill English has spoken about planned social investment in this year's budget and his reaction to Winston Peters suggestion there may be a political solution to re-entering Pike River mine.

Budget

The Prime Minister Bill English says there will be up to a dozen social investment initiatives in this year's budget which will be targeted to help the most vulnerable.

He says the government has been trying to gain a " deeper understanding of which people, where, are going to benefit from the spending."

He says an example of this is the spending on early childhood education.

Instead of widespread spending across the early child hood sector they will focus on small groups of children.

"Part of the key to it is understanding that this is money for the children and the need they have in some cases - a few thousand kids who start school can't speak properly. Rather than just putting money into the top of the education system."

Pike River

The Prime Minister Bill English says it's irresponsible for Winston Peters to mislead the Pike River families with the suggestion there is a political solution to re-entering the mine.

The New Zealand First leader says he will keep his promise to the families of those who died in explosions in the mine in 2010, that a manned re-entry would be a bottom line demand in negotiations in any post-election coalition deal.

But Mr English is dismissing the idea. He told Morning Report the Government is continuing with plans for an unmanned entry.