Full video: Willis defends late return to surplus, growth forecasts

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has defended her "Growth Budget" despite forecasts showing that economic growth may be tepid in the next several years, amid a later return to surplus than promised on the campaign trail.

Willis spoke to Q+A's Jack Tame for a wide-ranging interview on her Budget delivered in the Government's self-described year of economic growth.

In the interview, the Finance Minister appeared at pains to concede that the government will now return to budget surplus in 2029 rather than the 2027 timeline promised at the last election, pushing back the target by two years.

It's also by a new so-called "OBEGALx" measure, which excludes ACC from calculations. By the traditional measure, known as OBEGAL, the country isn't expected to return to surplus until the 2030s.

In the Q+A interview, Willis was also pressed about Government borrowing, child poverty targets and changes to the pay equity system.

For the full interview, watch the video above. More to come

Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air