Midday Report Essentials for Friday 29 May 2026

A top economist joined us to tell us why he's sceptical of the Finance Minister's claims her Budget will soon put us back in the black. The Bank Levy was a Budget surprise - we heard from the Bankers Association on whether the banks will pass it on to consumers. Welooked into the politics of Budget 2026 in Politics with Paddy Gower. Plus - today is NZ music T-Shirt day - we talked to a merch king who started out with a $50 printer and a packet of Iron-On transfer paper.