1 NEWS' political editor Jessica Mutch McKay says she is hoping the country will get "something exciting" and a "bit dynamic" in Budget 2021.
"This is the first time Labour's been able to do it alone. This is the first time they haven't had to negotiate with coalition partners," she told Breakfast today - hours out from the Budget.
"It's really good if we got something interesting today, but I say that with perhaps hope, rather than knowing."
With the Government still operating "under a Covid-19 umbrella" though, Mutch McKay said she's not predicting the "fireworks" and "lolly scrambles" people would have been expecting before the pandemic.
Budget 2021 will be released at 2pm today. Watch TVNZ 1 from then for the 1 NEWS Budget Special, hosted by Q+A’s Jack Tame, and follow 1News.co.nz for the latest news.
She said Finance Minister Grant Robertson had "ad nauseum" this week said the Budget was about balance and earlier termed it the "Recovery Budget", so thought this was what the country would see.
With "big announcements already" around housing, electric vehicles and health, Mutch McKay said to watch out today for some rises in benefits.
"I think that's a good bet ... The Government has signalled that that's something they want to look into."
She said she also expected more money to spent on Māori housing and the Māori Health Authority. Pharmac would get a "nice chunk of change" as well, she thought.
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