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Nicola Willis, New Zealand's Finance Minister, plans to restructure health spending for Budget 2026, moving from a multi-year budget system to annual funding to improve fiscal discipline. Health NZ's failure to adhere to budgets has prompted this change.

The Government will focus on affordable energy initiatives and the start-up ecosystem, with potential investments in a Liquified Natural Gas terminal. Willis aims to connect local start-ups with global capital and is considering changes to asset management strategies. The Budget may not include additional funding for departments, requiring them to outline performance plans under tighter financial constraints.