Mother of all Budgets

It was the first budget delivered by the new National Party Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson and formed the catalyst of her economic reforms known in the media as "Ruthanasia".

[2] Richardson also introduced many user pays requirements in hospitals and schools, services previously free to the populace and paid for by the government.

Former Prime Minister Sir Robert Muldoon resigned from his Tamaki constituency in protest of Richardson's policies.

[5] This backlash against the government at the polls, combined with rapidly rising levels of unemployment, was due to the disapproval by the public of Richardson's budget decisions.

During her time in the finance portfolio, she implemented a radical shakeup of the healthcare system in New Zealand, which resulted in severe financial strains on hospitals.