Economy

Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour

Categories under Economy

Regenerative agriculture and climate solutions

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, May 6th, 2021 - 94 comments

Research is now showing the advantages of regenerative agriculture. Are we wise enough to make best use of them?

About Trevor Mallard

Written By: - Date published: 8:20 pm, May 5th, 2021 - 67 comments

  • Trevor Mallard has made a concerted effort to change the tone of Parliament.  But last night got caught in a bickering match with National.

Sepuloni: Labour to increase Jobseeker benefit

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, May 3rd, 2021 - 58 comments

Some good news from over the weekend.  Labour is planning to significantly increase the level of Jobseeker benefit.

The problem with coal

Written By: - Date published: 10:13 am, May 1st, 2021 - 38 comments

New Zealand is about to enter a transition phase in energy that’s going to affect absolutely everyone.

Climate change. It’s still happening.

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, April 27th, 2021 - 35 comments

This is tough information to take in. I feel better when I try to take action to support the Climate Justice Movement which has known for decades that capitalism must be transformed and replaced for decent survival. Individual-collective action is possible. Keep going. – @climateben

Too much too far?

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 23rd, 2021 - 97 comments

As we lead up to Budget 2021, there’s much more shape to the whole direction of this government.

National’s very bad day

Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, April 22nd, 2021 - 86 comments

Yesterday was a day where National focussed on dog whistle racism, supported religious extremists and moaned about workers receiving a modest increase in the minimum wage.

The daily critics whinge

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, April 16th, 2021 - 22 comments

I was just reading a post by Bryan Gould on his current perspective on news media in “The Government v. the people”. It resonated because some news and opinion media are getting tedious. It made me reflect on my current habits because much of what he is discussing is that I remember as something in my rear view mirror. Not what I do today.

Government Control at Air New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 7:12 am, April 14th, 2021 - 67 comments

The New Zealand government has just increased its loan to Air New Zealand to a $1.5 billion total, and there’s a catch.

What is Socialism – a primer for idiots

Written By: - Date published: 9:09 am, April 5th, 2021 - 163 comments

Merchant Banker Troy Bowker has accused the Government of engaging in Socialist wealth redistribution ideology by not extending to landlords a state supported loan guarantee scheme and by implementing relatively modest wealth redistribution measures.

 

Resistance

Written By: - Date published: 3:24 pm, March 31st, 2021 - 50 comments

Chris Trotter recently asked the question about why there isn’t more resistance to the degree of inequality that we face in New Zealand. He’s partially right, we do spend an awfully amount of time arguing with each other about matters of smaller and smaller moment while inequality slides downhill from glacier to avalanche.  But intersectionalism isn’t the primary cause of activist cooling.

Ports of Auckland – time for change

Written By: - Date published: 8:47 am, March 31st, 2021 - 5 comments

Auckland Council has released the Ports of Auckland Independent Health and Safety Report and the recommendations are damning.

About Grant Robertson’s bright line tax statement

Written By: - Date published: 10:39 am, March 28th, 2021 - 217 comments

Media has been abuzz with comment about how last election Grant Robertson has backtracked on a promise on not extending the bright line test.  Should politicians stick to their pronouncements no matter what?  Or should they change their minds if circumstances demand a change in course?

Doocey is taking the piss

Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, March 26th, 2021 - 12 comments

Private member’s bills are an important feature of Parliament.  They give all MPs the chance to change the law to address real or perceived issues and problems.  So what does National MP Matt Doocey think is the country’s most pressing problem?

The housing crisis and the Government’s response

Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, March 25th, 2021 - 163 comments

The Government’s housing policy announcements have been attacked by the right and landlords as being an attack on rights and business, and by elements of the left for being too timid.  Which suggests that the announcements are quite well pitched.

Government announces plan to help first-home buyers maintain the housing crisis

Written By: - Date published: 10:33 am, March 23rd, 2021 - 226 comments

Labour disappoints again. Individual investment rights trump collective responsibility for people having homes.

Something big but not like that

Written By: - Date published: 7:45 am, March 23rd, 2021 - 41 comments

I am going out on a limb here but I think that Comrade Chris Trotter suggesting that Jacinda Ardern may resign as Prime Minister may be overhashed.

That’s No Moon  – It’s A Space Station

Written By: - Date published: 7:50 pm, March 22nd, 2021 - 9 comments

Did anyone notice Russia and China signing up to a treaty to form a common base on the moon?

National and the Greens on how to solve the housing crisis

Written By: - Date published: 11:04 am, March 17th, 2021 - 71 comments

Over the past week National and the Greens have released housing policy designed to address the country’s current housing crisis.  National’s are tired and either reflect what is already happening or reinforce their doctrinal view of the world.  The Green’s proposals are more radical and reflect steps that Micky Savage and the First Labour Government took in 1935.

“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness”. (UBI Series)

Written By: - Date published: 6:04 am, March 14th, 2021 - 49 comments

I believe, as our first Labour Government did, that everyone has the right “to a life” regardless of their perceived ,”value”.

In our country, with its excess of resources and capability, we have no excuse for poverty.

For leaving people behind.

The Unbearable Lightness of the Bright-Line Test

Written By: - Date published: 4:20 pm, March 13th, 2021 - 96 comments

The bright-line test is a red herring and does nothing to deter housing speculation.

You have 30 min to get your business in order!

Written By: - Date published: 12:50 pm, March 12th, 2021 - 77 comments

Government should have announced the decision for Auckland to go down to Level 1 first thing this morning.

So! You want a “plan”?

Written By: - Date published: 4:36 pm, March 11th, 2021 - 50 comments

Expecting a bit much aren’t you? We haven’t had that since Muldoon. At least he had them. The kind of people now asking for a plan were those who complained about governments that “interfered with the sacred ‘free market’” and screamed about “central planning”, “picking winners”, “protectionism” etc. They prefer just getting cheap labour to give the illusion of economic growth. And build a cycleway!

The trans Tasman bubble

Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, March 11th, 2021 - 72 comments

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said New Zealanders have an unfettered ability to travel to Australia for a holiday.  Reality would suggest that he is wrong.

Water Rights War Brewing

Written By: - Date published: 3:30 pm, March 10th, 2021 - 6 comments

Minister Parker is firing an 18 inch gun round that he’s ready to take on all with his call-in of the Otago water rights plan change.

So, You Want To Buy Your First Home?

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, March 7th, 2021 - 75 comments

Money does not grow on trees, it grows on houses. It is pure magic!

UBI experiment success

Written By: - Date published: 11:11 am, March 6th, 2021 - 46 comments

A newly published report in the United States on a two year UBI trial shows remarkable results. Is such a trial possible in New Zealand?

Senior Business Leaders Call Out To Government. Again

Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, March 3rd, 2021 - 41 comments

Senior business leaders have called for more openness and clarity from the Government on its plan for getting New Zealand to “COVID normal”.  But have failed to say what they would do to contribute or what they are doing to help.

Post Carbon Institute: Capitalism, the Doomsday Machine (or, How to Repurpose Growth Capital)

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, March 2nd, 2021 - 21 comments

Foundational Capital and Growth Capital, and what we should be doing with both.

Time to do something about poverty

Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, February 23rd, 2021 - 77 comments

In recent news Standard and Poors has improved New Zealand’s credit rating because of its success in handling Covid, and a vast majority of kiwis support the Goverment increasing income support for those on low wages or not in paid work.  The Government has the budget space and the majority’s backing to do something about poverty.

The unlucky New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 10:17 am, February 17th, 2021 - 107 comments

The first New Zealand study to look at the effects of food hardship on pre-schoolers’ nutrition has found that nearly half of families struggle to access healthy food in their child’s first year of life.