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Economy

The Small Business Loan Scheme

The Small Business Loan Scheme

The government’s small business loan scheme has started this week. Administered by the IRD, it allows small businesses to borrow $10,000, plus $1800 for every employee, up to a maximum of $100,000. Eligibility for the loan scheme is much the same as for the wage subsidy; you

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Lockdown Reality Bites: Tasmania Is Stuffed

Lockdown Reality Bites: Tasmania Is Stuffed

While governments on both sides of the Tasman are loudly backslapping themselves for their response to the Wuhan virus, hard economic reality is starting to quietly bite. The Australian federal government has acknowledged the gaping hole its response has opened in public accounts: $320bn, or 16.4 percent of GDP,

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Losers Picking Losers

Losers Picking Losers

Peter Cresswell pc.blogspot.com Remember the Trekka? Winston Peters does. David Parker does. Grant Robertson does. Or at least you’d think so, given their talk over recent weeks about how they’re going to be “picking winners” to get New Zealand back off the economic canvas — Peters to

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Missing the Point – and a Vital One

Missing the Point – and a Vital One

Audrey Young writing in the weekend newspaper headlined her article – “Ardern’s AAA team has one member – and a vital one.” Grant Robertson is the vital one and her article discusses what he has done and what he has to do. Unfortunately, Audrey misses the point – and a vital one.

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Act Releases Alternative Budget to Unleash New Zealand’s Potential

Act Releases Alternative Budget to Unleash New Zealand’s Potential

Press Release: ACT Party * Balancing the books: Back in surplus in four years while delivering $3.1 billion of tax cuts. * A wealthier country: Less debt, lower taxes, higher growth and incomes. * Safety from future pandemics: $816 million over three years for border security, research and PPE. * Getting Kiwis back

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Canny View – Ready and Robust Will Thrive

Canny View – Ready and Robust Will Thrive

Nick Stewart Stewart Group COVID-19 has got the attention of the world, and a great deal of information has been published about the pandemic in recent months. As a nation, we did everything in our power to slow down the COVID-19 spread, and at the end of level 4 four

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The Government Response Stringency Index

The Government Response Stringency Index

Michael Reddell croakingcassandra.com Having mentioned yesterday the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Stringency Index, I was playing around with variants of this chart, tracing the responses of various governments through time. On this variant I’ve included the Anglo countries and most of the countries of western Europe. It is

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COVID Alchemist

COVID Alchemist

If you enjoyed this BFD satirical image please consider sharing it with your friends.

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New Zealand at a Crossroads

New Zealand at a Crossroads

Dr Muriel Newman nzcpr.com “Marxists get up early in the morning to further their cause. We must get up even earlier to defend our freedom.”   British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 1978 New Zealand is at a crossroads. This is the moment that will define the next generation. Will our

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person behind mesh fence

Mean Age of COVID-19 Death Equal to Average Life Expectancy

Simon Thornley covidplanb.co.nz To understand the risks of ending lockdown, it is useful to think of a worst-case scenario. What would happen if ending lockdown led to a fate like Spain, Italy and New York? A well-known epidemiologist has calculated the answer. For individuals aged less than 65

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Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent

Now Is the Winter of Our Discontent

Sir Bob Jones nopunchespulled.com We’re about to enter the greatest economic depression in our history. But make no mistake, it’s not been caused by the coronavirus but instead is entirely man-made, singularly attributable to cop-out mismanagement by the government. From time to time we all face difficult

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In Her Quest for ‘Perfect’ Ardern Misses ‘Proportionate’

In Her Quest for ‘Perfect’ Ardern Misses ‘Proportionate’

Cautious, self-confessed ‘perfectionist’ Ardern was never going to allow Winston’s Aussie ski bunnies to frolic on our slopes this winter. (But the publicity of attending Morrison’s cabinet meeting by Skype was useful for her global brand building. Never mind that he almost forgot to cover it in his

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