The Standard

Economy

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

Categories under Economy

The Coming Global Economic Slowdown and New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 8:45 am, June 3rd, 2019 - 49 comments

With the United States – China trade war well underway, the sick chaos of Brexit is shrinking the U.K. economy and slowing much of Europe’s economy, and smaller economies such as that of Mexico in the crosshairs through further politically manufactured trade disputes, the second half of this year looks for New Zealand nowhere near as rosy as the first half.

Politicians Don’t Know Jack

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, June 3rd, 2019 - 63 comments

Politicians rely on information provided to them, not on an encyclopaedic memory and an IQ of a genius.

Bene bashing

Written By: - Date published: 11:27 am, June 1st, 2019 - 101 comments

National has engaged in the most crass form of beneficiary bashing in opposing Government changes to the benefit system announced in the budget and passed under urgency.

The Treasury website hack that wasn’t

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, May 30th, 2019 - 168 comments

The police has confirmed that a poorly secured website partially searchable through Treasury’s website’s search function was the cause of the release of sensitive budget information.

Labour to relax fiscal responsibility rules

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, May 24th, 2019 - 72 comments

Grant Robertson has announced there will be a relaxing of the fiscal responsibility rules, although not until after the next election.

Parliament’s culture

Written By: - Date published: 12:24 pm, May 22nd, 2019 - 128 comments

The report into Parliament’s workplace culture has described behaviour that is of major concern.

Death tax fake news

Written By: - Date published: 10:47 am, May 21st, 2019 - 62 comments

Social media was responsible for the repeated broadcasting of the claim that Labor in Australia intended to bring in a death tax.  What should happen when claims that are clearly wrong are made?

The hard change of forestry

Written By: - Date published: 10:41 am, May 18th, 2019 - 98 comments

Forestry is forcing an important tilting point between mitigating climate change and land use, and it’s going to affect the viability of some North Island towns.

Why Labour’s student debt policy is a success

Written By: - Date published: 1:56 pm, May 15th, 2019 - 85 comments

National has claimed that Labour’s tertiary fees policy is failing because numbers applying for it have not increased.  But National clearly has failed to understand that the policy is about reducing student loan totals or it is deliberately misinterpreting the reason for the policy.

Huawei go again

Written By: - Date published: 10:31 pm, May 12th, 2019 - 29 comments

Mike Pompeo has just been in Britain trying to bully the UK government out of using Huawei for its 5G network. He and other officials have been heavying countries around the world. Its not working, but one thing is clear. It makes GCSB’s head Andrew Hampton’s assertion that its decision to reject Huawei was independent is simply not believable. 

US China trade talks and New Zealand

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, May 12th, 2019 - 91 comments

Donald Trump’s trade war with China is way, way bad for New Zealand.

Zero carbon bill – let the battle commence

Written By: - Date published: 8:21 am, May 9th, 2019 - 102 comments

The Zero Carbon bill is already being attacked by farming groups who are clearly concerned at the implications for their industry.  And National is already showing signs that it will play politics with the issue.

Watch out Iran

Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, May 7th, 2019 - 57 comments

National Security Advisor John Bolton has announced that the US is sending an aircraft carrier and a bomber task force to the Middle East.

This Could Happen To You

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, May 6th, 2019 - 58 comments

For some reason, this story struck a nerve. An 80-year old had his 59-year career terminated by an impersonal e-mail from a faceless manager. Ironically, the manager on his public LinkedIn profile likes a post entitled “Treat a janitor with the same respect as the CEO”. Isn’t it sad that we now treat people as […]

Pike River re-entry delayed

Written By: - Date published: 10:53 am, May 3rd, 2019 - 51 comments

Re-entry to the Pike River mine has been delayed so that a high oxygen reading from within the mine can be understood.

May Day

Written By: - Date published: 11:49 am, May 1st, 2019 - 9 comments

Press release from the NZCTU celebrating May day and noting imminent changes to employment laws.

Five people versus a billionaire

Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, April 30th, 2019 - 36 comments

UK Labour has released a stunning advertisement on what happens if you give ordinary people more resources compared to if you give a billionaire a tax cut.

Slushiegate

Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, April 29th, 2019 - 101 comments

Simon Bridges has decided to attack Corrections management for installing slushie machines designed to help cool prison guards in full uniform and heavy stab proof vests on hot days.

Everything Should Be Made As Uncomfortable As Possible, But No Less Comfortable

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 24th, 2019 - 26 comments

When providing a voluntary carbon-offset scheme, make it as simple as possible, but not simpler, and tell people about it.

Kiwi Cultural Cringe is Alive and Well

Written By: - Date published: 4:00 pm, April 22nd, 2019 - 75 comments

New Zealand is too small for high-achievers and star-performers and does not offer enough challenges and rewards.

About the CGT decision

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, April 18th, 2019 - 232 comments

With the benefit of hindsight the decision not to proceed with a capital gains tax was almost inevitable.

CGT Dumped

Written By: - Date published: 2:08 pm, April 17th, 2019 - 244 comments

The Government has announced that there will be no Capital Gains Tax. It’s a shame, but it’s good politics.

Black Hole

Written By: - Date published: 8:16 am, April 11th, 2019 - 126 comments

The first image of a black hole has been released. It’s brighter than expected, but kinda underwhelming.

Support Tax Fairness Reform

Written By: - Date published: 12:15 pm, April 9th, 2019 - 16 comments

The Tax Justice Network has started a campaign to gain support for taxing capital as income to support and improve our public services. If you would like to support the campaign, you can sign the petition here or donate here. All funds donated will go to the campaign advertising.

Astroturf organisation accuses Tax Justice Aotearoa of being an astroturf organisation

Written By: - Date published: 12:13 pm, April 8th, 2019 - 18 comments

The Taxpayer’s Union (not a real union) has hit peak irony by accusing another organisation of being an astroturf organisation.

Tax Justice Aotearoa starts campaign in support of CGT

Written By: - Date published: 7:46 am, April 8th, 2019 - 168 comments

Tax Justice Aotearoa has started a public campaign in support of a capital gains tax.

This Is Who We Really Are

Written By: - Date published: 1:05 pm, April 5th, 2019 - 146 comments

As we prepare for ANZAC Day, the Kapiti RSA has been viciously attacked for wanting to show solidarity with NZ’s Muslim community. Maggie writes about what that means and suggests who we really are.

New Child Poverty statistics will provide a sound baseline for reduction targets

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 4th, 2019 - 6 comments

Child Poverty Action Goup has provided comments about new child poverty measurements.

Life and Death in Aotearoa – Debating Euthanasia

Written By: - Date published: 9:48 am, April 3rd, 2019 - 210 comments

David Seymour’s Private Member’s Bill on euthanasia is back for debate in Parliament. Maggie looks at one of the great social issues of our time.

The benefits of a Labour led Government

Written By: - Date published: 12:18 pm, April 1st, 2019 - 67 comments

Today marks the day that the largest ever increase in the minimum wage will occur.

Rooting Out Racism

Written By: - Date published: 12:12 pm, March 30th, 2019 - 296 comments

TS regular Maggie with an excellent analysis of the challenges facing men in a society in transition and what that means for the fight against racism.