Budget 2026: Key Signals for Business Confidence, Growth and Resilience
We’re pleased to share this guest perspective from Saurabh Sinha, from our Strategic Partner University of Canterbury, who reflects on the key themes emerging from our recent Budget 2026 briefing with Minister of Finance Hon Nicola Willis. His summary captures the core discussion points from the event, including the current state of business confidence, the Government’s fiscal strategy, and the policy settings shaping New Zealand’s long-term growth outlook.
Saurabh Sinha, Executive Dean Engineering, University of Canterbury writes
Thank you to Business Canterbury, Leeann Watson, CEO, and the wider team for hosting today’s Budget 2026: What Business Needs to Know discussion with Hon Nicola Willis MP.
Leeann’s opening remarks provided a useful Canterbury lens. Confidence, hiring and investment intentions have softened, but have held up better than might have been expected. That balance felt important: businesses are realistic about the challenges, while Canterbury continues to have strong foundations to build from.
The discussion also provided a timely reminder that fiscal repair and future growth need to be considered together. It is one thing to restore discipline to the books; it is another to create the conditions that allow people, businesses, regions and institutions to invest, build, trade, innovate and lift productivity.
Several themes connected with that broader growth agenda:
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infrastructure and energy settings that support confidence and delivery;
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planning and consenting processes that help useful activity proceed with greater clarity and pace;
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science, research and innovation that connect more readily with practical and commercial opportunity;
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trade relationships that open pathways for exporters and internationally connected firms, including the 🇮🇳 India Free Trade Agreement;
- skills and talent development that help regions turn opportunity into capability.
These are also the kinds of practical ingredients behind much of the work underway at UC Engineering: applied AI, industry-led and project-based learning, curriculum renewal, stronger student pathways, research translation and international partnerships in areas of future demand.
I appreciated the Minister’s interest afterwards in the University of Canterbury and our growth trajectory. It was a brief but valuable opportunity to share some of the work underway, and to reflect on how engineering education and research continues to contribute to talent, productivity, innovation and regional capability.
It was also good to connect with Sunny Sun, Business Development Partner at Tiger Brokers. Tiger Fintech NZ is the New Zealand subsidiary associated with Tiger Brokers and the wider UP Fintech Holding Limited group, listed on NASDAQ. Their New Zealand presence is a useful example of international fintech capability establishing a local base and engaging with New Zealand’s business community.
Congratulations were also expressed during the session to Tait Communications, recently named PwC Hi-Tech Company of the Year at the 2026 NZ Hi-Tech Awards. As a Christchurch-based global technology company, Tait is a reminder of the high-value capability that can be built from this region. UC Engineering is proud to contribute talent into companies such as Tait, and to see that talent support innovation, exports and critical communications capability.
Ngā mihi to Business Canterbury, the event partners and all involved for creating space for a grounded conversation.
Thank you to Saurabh for contributing this summary and for capturing the key insights from the briefing.
Business Canterbury is grateful to our event partners and members who continue to engage in these important conversations. If you missed this one, We look forward to welcoming you to our future events, where we will continue to explore the issues shaping Canterbury’s business environment and economic future.
This event was proudly supported by Cambridge Partners, Westpac and Tiger Brokers.
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