Economy
Cash Payouts if the Economy Crashes
We have been saying it on the blog for some time. This government is crashing what was, only a short time ago, a very well managed economy. The signs have been there for a while, but one of the most worrying aspects of recent times is that interest rates are
Slower Speeds Put a Handbrake on Our Economy.
National party If the Government is serious about improving road safety it needs to get on with building safer, well-engineered highways. Julie Anne Genter is completely out of touch with New Zealanders if she thinks that reducing speed limits is the answer. Kiwis lead busy lives and we don’t
To Lobby or Not to Lobby
By Owen Jennings You either believe in democracy or you don’t. If you do you will accept that lobbying is an essential ingredient in the mix of factors that ensure a robust democracy. It may be that on some issues lobbying is akin to the proverbial “pushing water uphill
Alarm Bells are Sounding
By Owen Jennings Alarm bells are sounding. Not loudly, yet, but persistently and with growing clangour. In another apt analogy, the storm clouds are gathering and the first peals of thunder can be heard. Our economy is heading toward danger and those in charge are oblivious to the problem but,
The Government has Crippled Investment
National party The NZIER quarterly survey of business opinion has fallen yet again to the lowest point in ten years because the government has no plan to grow the economy, National’s Finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says. “There has been a sharp decline in the New Zealand economy under this
IMF issues Warning about NZ Economy
We have been saying it for over a year now; we are in trouble economically. When a bunch of inept politicians get into government, led by a prime minister who does not know what GDP is, any country is immediately in turmoil. Things were good for a while because of
An Economist Dissects Jacinda’s ‘Wellbeing’ Con-Job
Jacinda Ardern’s “wellbeing budget” steamed up the undies of a lot of journalists and the sort of people who share ‘inspirational’ quotes on their Facebook wall, but actual economists are just a tad more sceptical. They’re especially sceptical of the notion that Ardern is doing something revolutionary, as
Risks from Exploration Ban Come to Pass
Well, well, well… no, that was not intended as a pun. The fact that we have closed down future oil and gas permits has already started to have an effect on the economy, at a time when things are definitely turning downwards. The departure of Chevron and Equinor from New
A classic welfare-spending, rail-worshipping, Michael Cullen-style budget.
Joe Ascroft Economist New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union Our team has just returned from the Beehive, where we attended the media and analysts’ lock-up event for the government’s new “Wellbeing Budget”. This year’s Budget was accompanied by some level of turmoil, with leaks, alleged hacks, and a (very brief)
The Wellbeing Budget
Well, it has arrived. The world’s first Wellbeing Budget. The groundbreaking budget format that was supposed to have the world sit up and take notice. I am reeling with the uniqueness and diversity of it all. No, I’m not. I’m completely underwhelmed. First, the basics. * $1.9
LIVE wellbeing budget
Budget 2019 will be read from 2pm in Parliament by Finance Minister Grant Robertson. The Wellbeing Budget is about tackling New Zealand’s long term challenges by focusing our attention on the things which matter most, says Labour. This is the current Government’s second budget since assuming power. This
Are tax increases on the way?
The CGT battle is won, and whoever takes the credit for it, there will be no CGT while Jacinda is prime minister. That may not be for long, but we can take it as an assurance that it won’t happen for a while at least. That is all that
