The country’s books are in remarkably good shape
As the country rebounds out of partial lockdown the Treasury’s recently released half yearly Economic and Fiscal update suggests that the Country’s accounts are in remarkably good shape.
Economy
Posts on the economy, work, business, income, and labour
Clearing the decks
The draft report into Nick Smith’s treatment of a young staff member that eventually saw him leave Parliament has made its way into the public realm, just in time to be lost in the pre Christmas media wash up.
The 2022 Economic Boom
New Zealand is seeing a strong, business-led recovery. But what will we do with this success?
Fair pay agreements – the employers fight back
BusinessNZ and Federated Farmers have this week attacked the Government for intending to implement policy designed to improve the plight of poorly paid workers.
Fonterra’s Capital Restructure
Fonterra is in the middle of a big restructure of its capital. It is still the case given its dominance over us that where Milk Supertanker Fonterra goes, we go.
National’s factional problem
National’s basic problem is that it has three discrete factions, christian conservatives, urban liberals and the country grouping. And no coherent vision to reconcile these totally disparate groupings.
Class oppression and discrimination
A brief analysis of power.
He Waka Eke Noa?
While a core of farmers protested a few days ago against farm environmental regulation with long lines of tractors, the organised form of agribusiness, Maori and government working together have concluded that making a climate different isn’t possible.
See what happens when you put a woman in charge?
Remarkably low Covid death and infection rates, good and improving vaccination rates, low unemployment and debt to GDP …
Astroturfers of the world unite
Two days before what is claimed will be the mother of all protests links between the Groundswell organisation and the Taxpayers Union have been discovered.
Is This The New State We Want?
The New Zealand state is gaining power again, but is it what we want?
The 2022 We Are Heading Towards
Most of us have been diminished by COVID in 2020-21 so it’s time for everyone to prepare 2022 as an honest accounting of damage to our whole society.
The Freedumb Protesters give protesting a bad name
As a principle the right to protest is important. But the freedumb protesters making outlandish claims and at the same time plagarizing the language of progressive protest movements deserves to be called out.
Covid alters Auckland
With in-person shopping about to re-start in Auckland next week, this is the best moment we will have to reinvent Auckland: one customer at a time.
We are all in this together
Increasing levels of angst at the current lockdown can be related to privilege.
The Covid vaccine rollout
Matt Nippert’s in depth article in the Herald this morning provides a well researched deep insight into the Government’s vaccine roll out. And as it progresses the New Zealand response places us mid table and improving in the OECD vaccination comparison and gives us some hope that the Delta outbreak may be controlled.
ANZ Bank clearly believes that greed is good
ANZ Bank has just announced a $1.92 billion profit for the year to September 30, 2021. This is about 1% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
Good Again
COVID has reminded us how good New Zealand is, and we should remember how we were reminded.
Why vaccine mandates are needed
The Government has announced vaccine mandates for some publicly facing businesses designed to help minimise the spread of a virus that has killed millions of people world wide.
In December 2022 We Will Be …
A year ago we were preparing for the America’s Cup and threading our way through the latest crisis quite well. What will we be planning next year?
Won’t someone think of the business owners?
This week Judith Collins was reported to be close to tears. But not about the possibility of a significant number of deaths but by the prospect of business closures.
Friday will change Us As Citizens
While we may have been lifted out of martial lockdowns and some rights have been reinstated in limited form, we have surrendered to another more pervasive power. The power of big data.
National’s plan – open and be damned
Yesterday National released what feels like take 16 of its Covid response plan, this one focussing on business interests and setting a hard timeline for reopening. But getting significant details wrong and rehashing failed policies previously tried in England has dampened its effect.
Jacinda Ardern: Tear Down This Wall
In the coming months Fortress New Zealand will be dismantled. What will take its place?
Why Can’t We Do More?
The Government’s dramatic action taken over the past 18 months to respond to Covid and the population’s overwhelming support suggests that it should be taking similar drastic action to address poverty and climate change.
David Seymour is all class
David Seymour suggested that suburbs where the vaccination rate hit 90% should be allowed extra freedom. But an analysis suggests that the wealthiest parts of Auckland, including Remuera and Epsom would qualify, whereas the poorer parts of Auckland would struggle to qualify.
More Promises from Prime Minister Morrison
So, the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is preparing for a November resumption of international air travel.
China and Real Estate Developers
Speaking of contagion, China is dealing with an outbreak of real estate market ebola.
Pandora papers and NZ
While we have mainly been occupied with containing the current Covid-19 outbreak, world news has been looking at documents revealing probable dirty capital and tax dodging by the affluent. NZ has a delayed local problem with this. Warning was given. We should just terminate the supporting legislation and replace it with transparency. (Updated)
Have we just thrown the fight, before the war has ended?
With all the unfortunate rhetoric around “giving up on the elimination strategy”.
Small businesspeople around me, who have quietly carried on with the program, and have been supportive of the Government strategy of elimination, even though, in many cases, it has been personally costly, are telling me,, “why did we bother”!
It doesn’t matter if it is the actual Government intention, or the media interpretation, the damage has now been done.
Government introduces law to assist tenants
Barry Soper and the Property Council are up in arms about proposals to ensure that all commercial tenants should only pay a fair proportion of their rental if their use of the premises has been affected by responses to the Covid pandemic.
CPTPP V Nuclear Submarines
In a piece of incredible timing, on the same day as Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom announced their defence technology procurement pact and pissed off ally and competitor alike, China formally applied to join the Comprehensive and Porgressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
COVID, We Need To Talk About Class
We’ve never seen a nationwide disease illustrate class and deprivation like the future of the country depended on it. Not like this. This should change us.
New Zealand Superconductors
Just to note a little sadness at the sale of New Zealand’s High Temperature Superconductor business out of Scott Technology (a robotics specialist company based in Dunedin sold to a Brazilian meat company a few years back).
The Top 20 Biggest U.S. Military Interventions, Best to Worst
With the last flights coming out of Kabul, it’s time to review whether this US attitude to the world is a good idea.
How Far Ought The State Go In A Pandemic?
Even in a time of crisis, people have human rights that must be upheld.