Budget 2018: Five things you need to know about where the Government is spending your cash

Today the government opened up its books, and revealed what it will spend its money on.

The Budget happens once a year, and forecasts spending over the next four years. 

Here are five big reveals from today's Budget:

1. Rebuilding critical public services

Health - $3.2 billion to operating and $850 million

Education - $1.6 billion operating, $334 million capital

Justice - $1 billion operating, $216 million capital

Supporting at-risk families - $460 million operating, $17 million capital

2. Economic development and the regions

$2.8 billion into the promotion of "economic development and supporting the regions package".

3.  Child poverty, housing, and homelessness

$813m is going to operations and $369m to capital to address issues such as target "chronic homelessness" and to allocate grants for low-income houses to get insulation for eligible homes.

4.  Natural resources

$649m will go to biodiversity, forestry and conservation, and also to climate change, biosecurity and environmental protection.

5. Culture

The government has put in $534m to "enriching New Zealand's culture and identity". It will go to crown-Maori relations and Maori development, NZ arts, culture and heritage, and to defence and internal affairs ($386m for operating funds and $40m capital).
  

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