The Government’s 2026-27 Budget has sparked a stark divide between public-health advocates celebrating a new sugary drink levy and industry leaders warning that it will hit low-income consumers hardest. The Budget will lean on eight revenue measures that blend classic ‘sin taxes’, modernisation of the tax base, and the continuation of extraordinary flows from the National Housing Trust (NHT) as Government seeks to close fiscal gaps widened by back-to-back climate shocks. Read more