Economy

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

Categories under Economy

C’mon Grant

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, November 18th, 2020 - 51 comments

This government must demonstrate that it has the ability to lead the New Zealand economy where it has stated it wants it to go. It does not want more headlines like the average house in Auckland now being priced at $1 million.

They Are Not Morons

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 17th, 2020 - 76 comments

Donald Trump will be back for another go at the Presidency in 2024. Progressives should underestimate the possibility of his winning. Unless the remaining centre-left generates strategies that are executed so well that people feel the difference good politics makes, the elements of populism arising again will stay ready like the elements of a bomb. 

 

Powerdown part two

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, November 16th, 2020 - 90 comments

Christchurch transition engineer Susan Krumdieck lays out the realities of the various crises we are facing, and why green tech won’t save us. What can we do instead?

Capitalism’s end game

Written By: - Date published: 8:07 am, November 13th, 2020 - 145 comments

In Aotearoa New Zealand we are facing a new crisis. Not Covid, although the recent case of community spread is deeply concerning. The crisis is the value of houses.

COVID19 Vaccine and New Zealand’s K-Shaped Recovery

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 11th, 2020 - 36 comments

IF the discovery of a potential Covid vaccine looks like a new dawn, let’s not forget that this is the accelerating point of the K-shaped recovery New Zealand have been dreading. Our already rich are on the line heading upwards. They are getting richer because of a range of our Government policies.

A tsunami of wing clipped kiwi?

Written By: - Date published: 9:52 am, November 9th, 2020 - 45 comments

The rush back home has definitely been happening and appears to mainly be constrained at present by the limits on quarantine facilities. It has already helped to mitigate the drops in immigration and probably will in the future. Nowhere near as economically important and productive as our exports. But useful for reducing unemployment for those not exposed to the export economy.

Could the real Labour Party please stand up

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, October 29th, 2020 - 35 comments

We need to get the Labour government to focus on decreasing inequality and poverty in all its forms and effects. The new government needs to show that Labour has changed the country for good. Otherwise there’s no reason to vote for them in 2023.

The boy from Matamata

Written By: - Date published: 8:28 am, October 28th, 2020 - 43 comments

Trump deputy chief of staff Chris Liddell, who is also a Kiwi, has announced his candidacy to be head of the OECD.  The Greens have announced their opposition because he has been part of inhumane decisions and also decisions that undermine international institutions.  The right back him because he is a kiwi.  What should Labour do?

Labour day

Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, October 26th, 2020 - 41 comments

Enjoying your weekend? Thank a unionist!

Rangitata and the Future of the National Party

Written By: - Date published: 8:49 am, October 24th, 2020 - 42 comments

As National reels from the disastrous 2020 election result could a policy based on high tech agriculture represent a way back?

Show us the plan Labour

Written By: - Date published: 10:19 am, October 22nd, 2020 - 154 comments

Labour want to govern based in stability for all New Zealanders, but how does that work when your grand narrative has massive plot holes around ending poverty?

Will consensus building paralyse Ardern?

Written By: - Date published: 7:14 am, October 21st, 2020 - 33 comments

Jacinda Ardern aims to bet both ways on our future – transforming Aotearoa to rid us of inequality and poverty, and building consensus. She has won a mandate with her historic, landslide victory but can she do both? My question is whether Labour are willing to do that because of her desire to maintain consensus and not rock the waka.

NZ election 2020: Labour win is a watershed moment in the country’s history

Written By: - Date published: 12:27 am, October 20th, 2020 - 47 comments

The 2020 election was more than just a victory for Labour and more than a crushing defeat for the National Party (New Zealand’s main centre-right political party). This result marks a significant watershed in New Zealand politics which will likely have implications long after this parliamentary term.

Legalise it! The Socialist case for Cannabis reform

Written By: - Date published: 1:13 pm, October 15th, 2020 - 18 comments

Maria Hoyle of Socialist Aotearoa argues that from a socialist perspective the legalisation of the possession of cannabis should occur.

About the Greens…

Written By: - Date published: 11:05 am, October 15th, 2020 - 74 comments

Here’s the thing about the Greens. They want change. They want change more than they want power. I think that they fully understand that we are out of time on climate, poverty, the environment and now is the time to act boldly.

Backbench National MP proposes radical new tax to address deficit *

Written By: - Date published: 6:23 pm, October 14th, 2020 - 29 comments

* but I am not sure that all of his caucus colleagues would be happy with the proposal.

Latest UMR Poll – National sinking

Written By: - Date published: 7:40 am, October 14th, 2020 - 180 comments

Leaked results of the latest UMR poll suggests that National is under 30% and that Judith Collins campaign techniques are not working.  She responded by calling the Prime Minister a liar and fat shaming the population.

Regenerative economies: $100,000 growing permaculture kale

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, October 11th, 2020 - 56 comments

A Thames couple are showing how to make a living from small scale market gardening, and leading the way in regenerative horticulture.

About that wealth tax

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, October 10th, 2020 - 301 comments

There are some issues to be ironed out, but this is the only thing I am seeing that attempts to resolve poverty in New Zealand rather than tinkering around the edges.

Mood of the Boardroom: National is toast

Written By: - Date published: 11:07 am, September 28th, 2020 - 45 comments

The NZ Herald Mood of the Boardroom finance election debate should be for National what it is like attending a Living Wage campaign meeting for Labour.  They should be at home and the participants should be solidly behind them.  But not this year.

Snow storm shout out to the undeserving poor

Written By: - Date published: 10:40 am, September 28th, 2020 - 84 comments

Why does Labour still not have a plan for unwell and disabled people living in poverty?

What Have Labour Done For The Poor, Exactly?

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, September 28th, 2020 - 30 comments

There’s been plenty of criticism about Labour’s policies not being effective enough to alleviate poverty. Time for a bit of perspective.

Vote Labour To Support Your Job

Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, September 24th, 2020 - 100 comments

This is a backpocket election – and that’s where most of Labour’s effort is going as it rightly should.

The Greens on urban farming

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, September 24th, 2020 - 25 comments

This is exactly the kind of approach the Green Party would like to encourage – it’s strategic, it’s intergenerational and it recognises the interconnectedness of our people, the environment and local communities.

Paora Goldsmith is National’s $4 billion dollar man

Written By: - Date published: 4:17 pm, September 20th, 2020 - 116 comments

Paul Goldsmith has blighted National’s campaign launch by making a $4 billion dollar mistake in National’s budget costings.

National’s lolly scramble tax cuts

Written By: - Date published: 8:34 am, September 19th, 2020 - 55 comments

Despite claiming that the PREFU figures were catastrophic and despite stating a month ago that it would not do this National has come out with a policy of temporary tax cuts favouring the rich.  They must be desperate.

Choosing ‘enough’ rather than ‘more’

Written By: - Date published: 6:05 am, September 18th, 2020 - 104 comments

A brief look at steady state economics and the values of enough rather than more.

Greens: expanding living wage beyond public service with Fair Pay Agreements

Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, September 17th, 2020 - 16 comments

The Green Party welcome Labour’s commitment to extend the living wage to Government contractors, but will push for Fair Pay Agreements across industries in the next Government so more New Zealanders can earn a dignified income.

Grant Robertson’s crisis leadership

Written By: - Date published: 4:45 pm, September 16th, 2020 - 22 comments

Much has rightly been made of the leadership quality of Prime Minister Ardern this year. But the PREFU results announced today shows that Minister of FInance Grant Robertson is by a long way the most effective Minister of Finance we have had since Dr Michael Cullen.

The PREFU is much better than National wanted

Written By: - Date published: 4:33 pm, September 16th, 2020 - 51 comments

The Prefu is out! And it is not as scary as National would have wanted.

Taxpayer’s Union is wasting taxpayers’ money

Written By: - Date published: 9:24 am, September 15th, 2020 - 35 comments

The Taxpayer’s Union, which claims to be opposed to Government waste, is wasting taxpayer’s resources by lodging a spurious complaint with the Broadcasting Standards Authority against Labour’s free apprenticeship policy.