Immanuel confident as Parliament begins Budget debate today

Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel says he does not expect any major issues when Parliament debates his first Budget as Finance Minister today, with Shadow Minister for Finance Inia Seruiratu opening the Opposition's response to the $4.237 billion Appropriation Bill.

Mr Immanuel delivered his maiden Budget in Parliament on Friday, June 26, setting total expenditure at $4.87 billion and a fiscal deficit of $1.07 billion, or seven per cent of GDP, which he attributed largely to the ongoing global fuel crisis.

He said his finance team had already briefed the Opposition caucus, alongside the Government team, ahead of the Paliament week-long sitting.

"We do not expect any major issue because at the end of this budget, we are still in a crisis," he told this masthead.

"We're still experiencing the fuel crisis, whether it's a supply question or even the pricing – we are operating in that environment for this Budget."

Twenty-three MPs are on the batting order, including Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.

Parliament sits from 9.30am Monday to Friday, July 17.