Every Budget should have a politically impactful surprise. In Budget 2026, the biggest surprise is the forecast of impressively large Budget surpluses as far as the eye can see from 2028/29.
Pattrick Smellie is a Director at BusinessDesk NZ. He specializes in finance, investment, and energy topics, with a strong focus on energy policy and regulation, climate change, and sustainability. Pattrick's insights and expertise have been featured in the New Zealand Herald, BusinessDesk NZ, and Carbon News - New Zealand.












