Analysis - It's hard to imagine Finance Minister Nicola Willis was particularly thrilled about handing over $60 million to one of New Zealand's major listed companies, Fletcher Building, so its subsidiary Golden Bay Cement could keep manufacturing cement at its plant near Whangārei.

Rising carbon costs one of the issues cited by the company in its announcement today.

The government is providing up to $60 million in financial support to Golden Bay Cement to ensure its Northland operations can continue.