If the article is correct there is nothing special about what happened in NZ. It says the "sea of red ink" was driven by COVID spending. The same thing happened happened everywhere, regardless of which side was in power. Those NZ COVID spending measures almost certainly were legislated to expire in a few years, just like everywhere else. But yes, it left NZ with increased government debt, again just like everywhere else.

You Kiwi's aren't as special as it seems you think you are. That was my point really - fiscal responsibility is always a right wing talking point. And completely true to form, the current right wing NZ government delivered tax cuts in their last budget. They say it was funded by the sort of spending reductions we are discussing here. I see those tax cuts benefited the poor rather than the rich. Colour me impressed.