Amid unpredictable economic times and severe weather events, it's time to think money.

Minister of Finance Grant Robertson will present the 2023 Budget on Thursday, May 18. The Weekend Sun took to The Strand to discover Tauranga's hopes for this year's Budget.

Though most individuals The Sun encountered in Tauranga's City Centre weren't aware the Budget was rapidly approaching, once enlightened locals had a passionate interest in its prospects.

Scott Lockhart has priorities: Hospitals, schools, housing. Scott would like to see the budget 'ease the housing crisis” and provide 'more teachers, teacher's aids and what not” for schools.

Liz Cooper and Serena Bentley shared Scott's interest in hospital funding. Serena said bluntly: 'Paying nurses more.” Liz would like 'for the healthcare system to be supported so that…they're all paid and remunerated well, so we actually have people working in that industry”.

They anticipate the benefit this Budget could potentially have on health patients too. Liz says: 'I put my back out… I did do a bit of a gulp when they presented me with the bill”. Amongst a cost of living crisis, Serena says: 'If people are tossing up whether or not to go to the doctor, whether they can afford to go to the doctor, there's something wrong”.

Healthcare

Serena fears that healthcare is unaffordable. 'Ideally, you know, as someone who has friends on lower incomes, it shouldn't cost you 50-60 dollars to go to the doctors.”

The cost of living crisis was also a hot topic for Tauranga's Budget discussions with The Sun. Liz had the idea to adopt the UK's VAT system, 'where you only tax the kind of luxury foods” to soothe the grocery bill.

Realtor Clark Mazey wants infrastructure improved. 'I think roading is a key thing.” Clark asks: 'Why not put a public train system right down Cameron Rd from Pyes Pa, shuttle people in? This would improve Tauranga's parking.” Clark continues: 'parking's a real issue”. 'Really frustrating for me, it adds up.” After what Liz describes as 'a horrendous few months of weather” she agrees that road infrastructure 'is probably an important one as well”.

Though discussing the Budget – which details the Government's annual spending plans on a national level – Tauranga residents want attention shone on their city's centre. Clark thinks the city should open up bars and shops on the water. 'I just think that it would be nice to see more people in the city.” And while a nationwide Budget is unlikely to favour Tauranga specifically, a nationwide infrastructure boost would bolster city life, says Clark.

The arts

'It would be nice to see more people in the city…how do you get them in? Have things they want to come to, less parking issues, more public transport.”

Liz and Serena, appropriately found outside Tauranga Art Gallery, are in the arts, and would like the budget to benefit 'the arts of course!” Chavelle Gardiner thinks Tauranga could benefit from such culture, as she wants money dedicated to 'livening up Tauranga, actually. Looks ugly”.