Opposition MPs say there are no surprises in the announcement that Finance Minister Bill English is promising no surprises when he delivers his fourth Budget on May 24th.
“There will be no big surprises from the Government. We have laid out our economic plan and Budget 2012 will focus on implementing that plan.
“That’s important if New Zealand is to grasp its opportunities and withstand the global challenges that will continue to come our way.”
Opposition spokesperson on political strategy Trivia Muckrake said she was disappointed but not surprised.
“The government keeps telling us what it’s going to do and then it goes and does it. There’s no surprises in that, but it does make it harder for us to sling mud at them,” she said.
“It doesn’t stop us accusing them of doing what they said they wouldn’t or not doing what they said they would, but it’s not easy to back those accusations up with examples when they keep on doing what they say they’ll do.”
Spokesman for the press gallery Harry Headline said he was disappointed too.
“U-turns and back tracks are bad news for governments and that makes good news for us. It’s much harder to manufacture outrage and write cliche-ridden prose when the government’s just getting on with business as normal.”
However, a counsellor with Political Tragics Anonymous, Fairly Calm, said she was delighted by the announcement.
“It’s helps us immensely to show our clients there is life and excitement outside the Bowen Triangle and to shift their focus from politics when it’s just business as usual in the Beehive,” she said.
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