Where do my taxes go in New Zealand? (year ended 30 June 2025)

🇳🇿 New Zealand · year ended 30 June 2025

In year ended 30 June 2025, the New Zealand Government spent about NZ$141.7 billion. The single biggest line was Social security and welfare: NZ$47.6 billion, or about $336 of every $1,000 it spent.

See your personal tax receipt →

The biggest spending lines

Social security and welfareNZ$47.6 billion · $336 per $1,000
NZ Super, benefits and the Government Superannuation Fund. Your wallet is everyone’s nana.
HealthNZ$30.3 billion · $214 per $1,000
Hospitals and GPs. The waiting room magazines are from 2014.
EducationNZ$20.9 billion · $147 per $1,000
Schools, early learning and tertiary. Somebody has to pay for the glue sticks.
Finance costsNZ$8.86 billion · $63 per $1,000
Interest on government debt. No loyalty points included.
Core government servicesNZ$7.91 billion · $56 per $1,000
Keeping the Beehive running. Honey not included.
Law and orderNZ$6.73 billion · $48 per $1,000
Police, courts and corrections. Your parking ticket is helping.
Transport and communicationsNZ$5.47 billion · $39 per $1,000
Roads, rail and ferries. Hopefully the ferries float.
Economic and industrial servicesNZ$3.51 billion · $25 per $1,000
Business support and economic development. Very entrepreneurial of you.
DefenceNZ$3.27 billion · $23 per $1,000
The NZ Defence Force. Small but mighty, like a kiwi with a grudge.

These 9 lines add up to 95% of total spending. The rest is spread across smaller programs.

Source: NZ Treasury Historical Fiscal Indicators 2025 (core Crown expenses by function) ↗

And the weird stuff

Big budget lines are dull. These real New Zealand examples are not.

🚋 Six years of planning a light rail line that was never builtNZ$228 million spent before cancelling · 2024
🚧 Consultants for a transport plan that mostly delivered a pedestrian crossingNZ$39 million on consultants · 2022
🚲 Office rent for a bike bridge that had already been cancelledNZ$491,120 office rent · 2022

See all 3 examples of government waste in New Zealand →

Quick answers

Where do most New Zealand taxes go?

The biggest single line in year ended 30 June 2025 was Social security and welfare, at about 34% of New Zealand Government spending.

How much of New Zealand’s spending goes to interest on debt?

About NZ$8.86 billion in year ended 30 June 2025, or roughly $63 of every $1,000 spent.

How much does New Zealand spend on defence?

About NZ$3.27 billion in year ended 30 June 2025, roughly 2.3% of total spending.

Does my tax pay for one specific thing?

No. Taxes go into a general pool. These figures show how total spending is divided, so they work as an illustration of your share, not a literal receipt.

Other countries

🇨🇦 Where do taxes go in Canada?🇺🇸 Where do taxes go in the US?🇬🇧 Where do taxes go in the UK?🇦🇺 Where do taxes go in Australia?