Damien O’Connor Criticises Budget 2026 as ‘Miserable’ for Rural New Zealand
A miserable budget that didn’t deliver much for anyone.
"The NZIER report claims the PGP has the potential to add $11.1 billion to the economy per annum in 2025, but only if all the research and development runs flawlessly, the aspirational stretch of its programmes are achieved and the innovations taken up widely.
"That is a tall order.
"The PGP aims to foster primary-sector innovation and investment in joint partnership with industries. It has now committed more than $700 million of taxpayer and farmer money to a range of projects. This is the National Government's method of reaching its goal of doubling exports.
"The problem is there are no quantifiable results as to how these programmes will actually achieve this.
"Labour is not alone with its concerns about the PGP. The Auditor-General has also decided to take a closer look at how the money for these programmes is allocated and, more importantly, how it is accounted for."
