economy
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NRT: Inflation and poverty
Written By: - Date published: 4:13 pm, May 4th, 2017 - 8 comments
I/S at No Right Turn writes: “The CPI is out today, and it shows that the poor are getting poorer … This is a long-term trend. Since National took office, inflation for poor households has been nearly twice that of rich households.”
Gould explains how money works to Brash
Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, April 30th, 2017 - 157 comments
Interesting series of articles in The Herald, where Bryan Gould schools Don Brash on how money works.
Billions of lies
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, April 29th, 2017 - 41 comments
The Nats are settling in to election mode – smoke and mirrors. Steven Joyce feeds us billions of dollars worth of lies.
The case for higher wages
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 26th, 2017 - 31 comments
In the warm afterglow of the huge wage increase for health care workers the case for addressing NZ’s creaking low-wage economy is getting some recognition (along with the effect of immigration on wages).
National’s economic report card fail
Written By: - Date published: 2:52 pm, April 18th, 2017 - 18 comments
Though artificially boosted by high immigration and disaster rebuilds, the NZ economy is in the doldrums, and National are a failure even by their own goals and targets. I predict that National will soon abolish all targets, and that this will be “a sign of our success”.
Monbiot on the embedded economy
Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, April 14th, 2017 - 10 comments
A model for a sustainable economy. Something to ponder on a wet holiday weekend.
Property porn vs. reality
Written By: - Date published: 8:46 am, April 10th, 2017 - 92 comments
Sick of the property porn on the Stuff and Herald websites? It was refreshing to read the truth for a change.
The neoliberal revolution
Written By: - Date published: 1:31 pm, April 1st, 2017 - 31 comments
Thirty years old today – the longest April Fool’s joke in history?
Trumping Idiocy
Written By: - Date published: 4:59 pm, March 29th, 2017 - 28 comments
If you are absolutely determined to be one of the idiot legion who’re forever squirreling their heads deeper into sand, then don’t read this post.
Labour Green fiscal framework
Written By: - Date published: 9:16 am, March 24th, 2017 - 97 comments
As widely reported this morning, Labour and the Greens have set out an agreed fiscal framework. Smart politics.
There are no surpluses
Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, March 14th, 2017 - 38 comments
There are no surpluses in NZ right now, not in any real sense. There is only debt, negative externalities and deferred costs.
Household debt
Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, March 8th, 2017 - 93 comments
The IMF warns that our household debt is far too high, as desperate tenants start raiding the Kiwisaver accounts to pay the rent.
Unemployment rate up
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, February 2nd, 2017 - 12 comments
Despite National’s fiddling the figures on the way unemployment is counted, the unemployment rate is on the rise again.
Labour gets serious about regional development
Written By: - Date published: 1:46 pm, February 1st, 2017 - 46 comments
Labour is serious about regional development. It is proposing a 10 year $200m package of regional initiatives. The first of these was just announced in Dunedin.
Hickey on surpluses and Key’s bullshit
Written By: - Date published: 9:17 am, December 4th, 2016 - 36 comments
Bernard Hickey: “It is extraordinary for the Prime Minister to call the Treasury’s short and long term forecasts a “load of nonsense” and yet rely on the medium term ones to promise all manner of riches to voters on the eve of an election.”
Treasury predictions – not good
Written By: - Date published: 8:08 am, November 27th, 2016 - 66 comments
Brian Fallow in The Herald summarises the take-home messages from the latest Treasury report. National have us on track to disaster.
The sharemarket moved because…
Written By: - Date published: 10:07 am, November 23rd, 2016 - 17 comments
This is just something that gets my goat, and there was a particularly egregious example on the RNZ Business News this morning. Apparently Wall St was going ‘gangbusters’, and the reason they came up with for that was ‘Wall St’ liking Donald Trump’s policies (lowering tax and building infrastructure apparently). Not long ago Wall St […]
National tries to have it both ways
Written By: - Date published: 8:31 am, November 19th, 2016 - 51 comments
Despite the Kaikoura earthquakes, the damage to the Capital and the fact the EQC fund is now in deficit, the Government is still holding out the possibility of tax cuts in election year.
I’m a Muslim, an Immigrant and I voted Trump
Written By: - Date published: 12:54 pm, November 14th, 2016 - 234 comments
Take a deep breath and transcend your fear.
Grant Robertson: Future of Work
Written By: - Date published: 11:25 am, November 9th, 2016 - 10 comments
At the Labour Conference over the weekend, Grant Robertson announced the results of the Future of Work Commission. Ideas for policy to cope with a new age of work.
The Future of Work Commission report
Written By: - Date published: 8:59 am, November 6th, 2016 - 17 comments
The Future of Work Commission report has now been released. It contains 63 recommendations including the tentative implementation of a universal basic income and a that voluntary work for approved organisations allow beneficiaries to continue to receive a benefit.
Nats backsliding on tax haven law changes
Written By: - Date published: 7:54 am, November 1st, 2016 - 20 comments
The Nats are backsliding on implementing the law changes brought on by the Panama Papers revelations. If European regulators blacklist us the consequences will be catastrophic.
Workers’ rights – the Uber ruling
Written By: - Date published: 8:26 am, October 30th, 2016 - 34 comments
Recent decision in the UK is a victory for workers and their rights.
Tax cuts hard to sell
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, October 19th, 2016 - 8 comments
Herald: “…the Government ought to be banking surpluses, just as Sir Michael Cullen did during the boom of 2000-2007”.
Tax-cuts or… Health
Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, October 18th, 2016 - 135 comments
Health – particularly mental health – is underfunded, resulting in strikes over patient safety and units shutdown due to staff shortages. And unnecessary deaths. So why is the government even thinking about tax-cuts when our services need investment?
Hickey on debt
Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, October 16th, 2016 - 31 comments
Hickey in The Herald on Sunday: “Our household debt to income ratio of 165 per cent is now about 5 per cent above those previous highs of 2008 and rising quickly as debt rises around twice as fast as incomes.”
Economics is still lost
Written By: - Date published: 12:25 pm, September 20th, 2016 - 54 comments
Paul Romer is an economist highly respected by his peers, and about to become the Chief Economist at the World Bank. He’s also just published a paper rubbishing the last 3 decades of macroeconomics.
Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times is challenging fractional reserve banking. It’s certainly time for some new ideas.
Robertson: Lessons from the Future of Work Commission
Written By: - Date published: 1:22 pm, August 26th, 2016 - 10 comments
Robertson: “What is the economic paradigm that will meet the challenge of world of less secure work, more automation?”
Between what we want and what we need
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, August 19th, 2016 - 122 comments
New Zealand is slowly losing faith with this Government and this is why.
Spark – kudos
Written By: - Date published: 8:05 am, August 15th, 2016 - 30 comments
Our wages are too low generally, and this is one of the main economic challenges that we face. A few more employers committing to paying a living wage would be a good place to start.
Globalisation and global incomes (the “elephant graph”)
Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, August 14th, 2016 - 55 comments
An elegant graph explains why free trade is a good thing, but why it is causing a backlash in rich “Western” countries.
- Tech giant Meta will pay Australians $50 million for enabling the Cambridge Analytica scandal
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law & Tech Initiative, UNSW Sydney The Australian Information Commissioner today announced a settlement with tech giant Meta over its involvement in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The settlement ...5 days ago - Protesters Disrupt 3rd Reading Of Fast-track Bill
”The fast-track bill is anti-democratic, anti-climate, and anti-Te Tiriti. Regardless of the bill passing today, thousands of New Zealanders are ready to stop these projects from being built in our communities,” says 350 spokesperson Adam Currie. ...5 days ago - The government is spending millions on news, but crucial community media remains underfunded
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bridget Backhaus, Senior Lecturer in Journalism and Media Studies, Griffith University Shutterstock The Australian government has launched its News Media Assistance Program, throwing a lifeline to public interest journalism and local news. The latest push for a more diverse and ...5 days ago
- Cars in Australian cities are emitting less – but in the regions exhaust emissions are growing
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai Li Lim, St Baker Fellow in Electric Mobility, The University of Queensland becauz gao/Shutterstock Within five years, transport is expected to be Australia’s top source of greenhouse gas emissions. While renewables and storage are bringing down emissions from the electricity ...5 days ago
- Te Pāti Māori’s Rawiri Waititi says Luxon may be ‘drop-nuts’ if he doesn’t...
The prime minister not attending Waitangi Day would show he "has no balls and may be a drop-nuts", Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi says. ...5 days ago - Can Syria avoid becoming another Libya or Iraq? A week after Assad’s fall, here are 3 possible fut...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, the world was moved by emotional scenes of liberation — families reuniting after years of separation and former prisoners walking free from the ...5 days ago
- The fiscal update is no Christmas present for the government – but signs of a slow recovery are th...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Hickson, Economics Lecturer and Director Business Taught Masters Programme, University of Canterbury After a slow economic year, many New Zealanders are eyeing 2025 with uncertainty but also a degree cautious optimism. Interest rates are dropping and unemployment rates remain below expectations. ...5 days ago
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"It’s been an incredibly tough few seasons, with huge pressure on farmers who have been unable to find the staff they need to run their businesses." ...5 days ago
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The PSA says the reckless drive to cut costs shows the government is prepared to put dollars ahead of Kiwis' lives. ...5 days ago
- ‘Brutal austerity’ – reaction to opening of govt’s books
The PSA says the reckless drive to cut costs shows the government is prepared to put dollars ahead of Kiwis' lives. ...5 days ago
- Why do we revert to our childhood selves when we visit family?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gery Karantzas, Professor in Social Psychology / Relationship Science, Deakin University TORWAISTUDIO/Shutterstock You’re an independent, capable adult all year round. But when you gather with family for a holiday such as Christmas, suddenly the child in you comes out. Maybe ...5 days ago
- Serious youth offenders numbers drop by 7%
It equates to being over a third of the way towards the government's target of 15 percent fewer youth offenders by 2030, Oranga Tamariki says. ...5 days ago
- HYEFU revealed: Nicola Willis deploys convenient new measure amid bleak books
Analysis - The opening of the books at Treasury has revealed a bleak economic outlook, and a new measure to improve that picture. ...5 days ago
- New Zealanders Be Warned – More Brutal Cuts To Public Services Coming
"History and now fresh evidence tell us that austerity doesn’t work, but the Government is failing to listen. Today in the Budget Policy Statement it set the stage for further deep and broad cuts which will impact the services New Zealanders need now and in ...5 days ago
- The best books of 2024: The people’s choice
The results of our reader survey of the best books of the year. Over 300 Spinoff members responded to our call out to discover what people enjoyed reading locally and internationally this year. The results show a healthy crossover with The Spinoff’s best New Zealand books of 2024, with some ...5 days ago - Now We Know Why Nicola Willis Didn’t Want Experts In The Room: Changes OBEGAL Calculation To Appea...
“Nicola Willis is guilty of manipulating the fiscal indicators in the same way then Opposition Finance Spokesperson Nicola Willis jumped up-and-down about when Grant Robertson changed the way Net Core-Crown Debt was calculated to make the numbers ...5 days ago
- Minimum Wage Decision A Conscious Decision To Increase Poverty
It is an indefensible attack on working people and will only serve to inflame poverty and undermine a weak economy. ...5 days ago
- What makes a great sports coach? We identified 17 of the world’s best, and found some patterns
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cliff Mallett, Professor of Sport Psychology and Coaching, The University of Queensland red mango/Shutterstock The study of leadership in high-performance coaching aims to deepen the understanding of how and why coaches lead the way they do, rather than just what they ...5 days ago
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Cabinet has also agreed in principle to bring in two new seasonal visas from late 2025. ...5 days ago
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And Nicola Willis has adopted a new measure for its finances, excluding the impact of ACC, which it said distorted previous forecasts. ...5 days ago
- Forecast surplus delayed two years, Willis vows earlier end to deficit
The Treasury’s end-of-year fiscal and economic update shows the Government’s return to surplus has been delayed by two years on current projections.Using either the traditional operating balance measure or a new measure announced Tuesday, the Government will run a deficit for at least two years more than forecast at the ...5 days ago - Why zoning reform won’t solve the housing crisis
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raphaël Fischler, Professeur titulaire à l’École d’urbanisme et d’architecture de paysage, Université de Montréal Montréal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood and downtown are exemplary places for functional diversity. (Shutterstock) There are many good reasons to bring about reforms in zoning, but reducing the cost ...5 days ago
- How can you stay safe from cyber attacks? Here are 2 simple checklists from experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jing Jia, Senior Lecturer, Business School, University of Newcastle cottonbro studios/Pexels “Cyber security” may sound like a far-off worry for big corporations or telcos, but that’s far from the case. Cyber security simply means the practice of safeguarding your sensitive data ...5 days ago
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The The Transport Agency and Wellington Gateway Partnership have been wrangling over claims that work areas have not been properly cleared up. ...6 days ago
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“The Government has made another callous decision which will make in-work poverty even worse in Aotearoa,” E tū Assistant National Secretary, Annie Newman says. ...6 days ago
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- Smallest minimum wage increase ‘since the 1990s’
The minimum wage will rise by 1.5 percent to $23.50 from April 1, it was announced Tuesday. ...6 days ago
- Wellington Council moves ahead with submission against Treaty Principles Bill
One councillor called it a waste of time and ratepayers' money, saying the council should keep out of "central government barn politics". ...6 days ago
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Banning the CTU, the Taxpayers’ Union, and groups like Business NZ and the Federated Farmers is not a strategy to get back to surplus. At best, it’s a cheap PR ploy to attempt to control the media narrative. ...6 days ago
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Mayors are accusing ministers of taking "the local out of local government" with proposed changes to rates and spending rules. ...6 days ago
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As the fight to revitalise te reo Māori continues, kōhanga reo are grappling with severe teacher shortages, outdated facilities, and a lack of trust in their national leadership. Te Reo Māori is integral to understanding the Māori worldview. It provides a window into te ao Māori that is nearly impossible ...6 days ago
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The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi have sent an open letter to Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, following another round of devastating job cuts at WorkSafe. ...6 days ago
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Those who have signed the letter are urging the New Zealand government to not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel until it is prepared to comply with international law. ...6 days ago
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The a new movement is encouraging employers to focus more on output, not the number of hours worked. ...6 days ago
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The increase strikes a "balance" between supporting workers and limiting further costs on business, the Workplace Relations and Safety Minister says. ...6 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Heap, Senior Researcher Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute; Sessional Academic RMIT University, The Australia Institute Tomasz Trojanowski/Shutterstock Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) are again in the spotlight – mostly because of how they can affect the way companies deal ...6 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will Jeffery, Sessional Academic, Discipline of Film Studies, University of Sydney IMDB/Disney Imagine attending a concert including excerpts from Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Dmitri Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano Concerto, Camille Saint-Saëns’s ...6 days ago
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"I don't think roof top gardens on bus stops are a great idea," the prime minister says at the government removes "wellbeing" provisions from the Local Government Act. ...6 days ago
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stacy Carter, Professor and Director, Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values, University of Wollongong Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock Australia’s biggest radiology provider, I-MED, has provided de-identified patient data to an artificial intelligence company without explicit patient consent, Crikey reported recently. ...6 days ago
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