I mean, does anyone understand what this means, and are they remotely accurate, and does it swing a vote?

[laughs] Um, I'm not a politician, so I can't say if it swings a vote.

But it is a mirror, uh, as to what a political party thinks, um, the voters it's trying to attract, uh, will do.

Um, I read the budget as a continuation of what National has been doing to try and get back into surplus since its first budget in, um, 2018, uh, 20, uh, uh, 2024.

Um- The-- and which is basically, uh, try and hold the line on spending, which is pretty tough, um, given the increases coming through and interest on debt because of the rising public debt and also, uh, pressures with the aging population.

And it's hoping for economic growth to, to, um, keep lifting tax revenues and other revenues to close the gap, and that is essentially what, um, this, uh, the National's budget statement is doing.

There's handouts there and there, um, but, um, it's, it's keeping within that overall plan.

Can we be encouraged, can we be encouraged, Bryce, to any degree that within a margin, both are broadly speaking reasonably conservative? In other words, they're not outlandish the way some of the other parties might be.

I mean, does anyone understand what this means, and are they remotely accurate, and does it swing a vote?

Uh, [laughs] um, I'm not a politician, so I can't say if it swings a vote, but it is a mirror, uh, as to what a political party thinks, um, the voters it's trying to attract, uh, will do.

Um, I read the budget as a continuation of what National has been doing to try and get back into surplus since its first budget in, um, 2018- uh, 20, uh, uh, 2024.

Um, the...

And which is basically, uh, try and hold the line on spending, which is pretty tough, um, given the increases coming through on interest on debt because of the rising public debt, and also, uh, pressures with the aging population.

And it's hoping for economic growth to, to, um, keep lifting tax revenues and other revenues to close the gap, and that is essentially what, um, this, uh, the National's budget statement is doing.

There's handouts there and there, um, but, um, it's, it's keeping within that overall plan.

Can we be encouraged, can we be encouraged, Bryce, to any degree that within a margin, both are, broadly speaking, reasonably conservative? In other words, they're not outlandish the way some of the other parties might be.

Do the rest of us, I mean, does anyone understand what this means and are they remotely accurate and does it swing a vote?

I'm not a politician, so I can't say if it swings a vote, but it is a mirror as to what a political party thinks the voters are trying to attract.

will do.

I read the budget as a continuation of what National has been doing to try and get back into surplus since its first budget in 2024, which is basically try and hold the line on spending, which is pretty tough given the increases coming through and interest on debt because of the rising public debt.

and also pressures with the ageing population.

And it's hoping for economic growth to keep lifting tax revenues and other revenues to close the gap.

And that is essentially what the Nationalist Budget Statement is doing.

Can we be encouraged, Bryce, to any degree, that within a margin, both are broadly speaking reasonably conservative? In other words, they're not outlandish the way some of the other parties might be?

I mean, does anyone understand what this means, and are they remotely accurate, and does it swing a vote?

Uh, [laughs] um, I'm not a politician, so I can't say if it swings a vote, but it is a mirror, uh, as to what a political party thinks, um, the voters it's trying to attract, uh, will do.

Um, I read the budget as a continuation of what National has been doing to try and get back into surplus since its first budget in, um, 2018- uh, 20, uh, uh, 2024.

Um, the- and which is basically, uh, try and hold the line on spending, which is pretty tough, um, given the increases coming through and interest on debt because of the rising public debt, and also, uh, pressures with the aging population.

And it's hoping for economic growth to, to, um, keep lifting tax revenues and other revenues to close the gap, and that is essentially what, um, this, uh, the National's budget statement is doing.

There's handouts there and there, um, but, um, it's, it's keeping within that overall plan.

Can we be encouraged, can we be encouraged, Bryce, to any degree, that within a margin, both are, broadly speaking, reasonably conservative? In other words, they're not outlandish the way some of the other parties might be.

Yes, yes.