The Standard

Economy

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

Categories under Economy

Property speculator panic

Written By: - Date published: 12:26 pm, May 15th, 2017 - 128 comments

Labour has set the cat among the property speculator pigeons, and they don’t like it at all.

The looming battle over property

Written By: - Date published: 9:10 am, May 15th, 2017 - 122 comments

Housing may be the issue that decides this year’s election.  And if Labour wins Andrew Little will have a major crisis to deal with, one that he has to solve.

Nats propose centrally planned economy

Written By: - Date published: 2:38 pm, May 12th, 2017 - 21 comments

Not even joking.

Labour’s Manifesto

Written By: - Date published: 11:50 am, May 11th, 2017 - 293 comments

Old school Social Democracy. (Remember that?)

Nats deny women pay equity transparency

Written By: - Date published: 7:04 am, May 11th, 2017 - 44 comments

As usual National proves itself to be no friend of women. They have voted the Equal Pay Amendment Bill down because they will always choose employers over people.

Little on immigration

Written By: - Date published: 2:09 pm, May 8th, 2017 - 34 comments

A good piece by Andrew Little in The Herald, setting out Labour’s position on immigration (with policy to come).

Still spinning “social investment”

Written By: - Date published: 10:04 am, May 7th, 2017 - 36 comments

Directing welfare spending where it will do most good makes sense. But let’s make sure that that is what it is, not an excuse to simply cut funding, stigmatise, and target “undesireables”. National’s record does not inspire confidence, to say the very least. Then there’s the hypocrisy…

Targeting deceased estates, divorcees and dummies

Written By: - Date published: 11:06 am, May 6th, 2017 - 30 comments

Good work by Lane Nichols in The Herald, a window into the minds of what we must hope is small subset of “property investors”.

NRT: This is why we can’t have nice things

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, May 5th, 2017 - 11 comments

I/S highlights National’s new net debt target of 10-15% of GDP – and specifically, what it will cost us.

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.”

Bill English doesn’t get it – literally doesn’t get it – how messed up the “Brighter Future” is

Written By: - Date published: 11:30 am, May 4th, 2017 - 55 comments

“There are approximately 92,700 Kiwis aged between 15 and 24 who aren’t working, in education or training. That’s up 19 percent during National’s time in power, and Prime Minister Bill English admits he’s not sure why.” Could it be because…

Bringing Liberalism Down.

Written By: - Date published: 9:30 am, May 4th, 2017 - 138 comments

It isn’t always wise to tackle an adversary head on and sometimes, with a bit of smarts, two birds can be had with one stone. This post is about halting the march of liberalism and killing the potential of fascism.

The patriotic millionaires

Written By: - Date published: 11:54 am, May 3rd, 2017 - 128 comments

In America a group of millionaires have emerged who are advocating for increased taxation for the wealthy and increased democratic rights to everyone else.

StuffMe not

Written By: - Date published: 9:58 am, May 3rd, 2017 - 22 comments

As widely reported this morning, the Commerce Commission has declined the proposed merger of the country’s two biggest media companies.

Protecting our biggest export income earner

Written By: - Date published: 7:03 am, May 2nd, 2017 - 51 comments

Tourism Export Council: “The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) in its current form is nothing more than a PR-stunt from Government who continue to ignore scientists and expert opinion re the state of our freshwater. The NPS-FM does not address the serious problems facing our waterways and, in fact, will make them worse.”

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.

Is the Labour Housing policy even possible?

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, April 30th, 2017 - 129 comments

If Labour wins in September what state infrastructure can it utilise to deliver on its promise to build tens of thousands of affordable homes?

Pencilsword on renting

Written By: - Date published: 1:16 pm, April 29th, 2017 - 14 comments

Pencilsword does brilliant analysis and commentary in cartoon form. Go check out the latest on the invisible rental crisis…

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.

Anzac Day

Written By: - Date published: 3:36 pm, April 26th, 2017 - 15 comments

Am I the only one who is upset, over mealy mouthed politicians making flowery speeches saying “We will remember them”

when they manifestly don’t.

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).

Thank you Charlie.

Written By: - Date published: 10:56 pm, April 24th, 2017 - 60 comments

I took myself along to Dunedin’s March for Science last Saturday. There was a high point.

A tin shed and a cup of cold Milo

Written By: - Date published: 11:10 am, April 24th, 2017 - 14 comments

Funny how the Nats can always find millions for vanity projects – and sweet FA for the homeless.

Left Rising.

Written By: - Date published: 2:49 pm, April 23rd, 2017 - 49 comments

In something over 24 hours time from now, the results from the first round of the French Presidential elections will be in.

David Cunliffe’s final speech

Written By: - Date published: 9:53 am, April 23rd, 2017 - 28 comments

The text of David Cunliffe’s final speech delivered to the New Lynn Labour Party earlier this week where he decries neoliberalism and worries about the world’s environmental future.

Restaurant Brand Workers strike

Written By: - Date published: 5:54 pm, April 21st, 2017 - 34 comments

Restaurant Brands, the company that made $26 million last year and paid its chief executive a bonus of $1 million but cannot afford to pay its workers any more than the minimum wage, is facing industrial action tomorrow.

RNZ: The 9th floor – Bolger

Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, April 21st, 2017 - 12 comments

“He says neo-liberalism has failed and suggests unions should have a stronger voice. He says Treaty of Waitangi settlements may not be full and final and that Māori language tuition should be compulsory in primary schools.”

National’s short lived status as a supporter of pay equity

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, April 21st, 2017 - 25 comments

The day after Kristine Bartlett’s and the SFWU’s well deserved pay equity victory the Government has released for consultation draft legislation the effect of which would be to stop similar victories occurring in the future.

Green power

Written By: - Date published: 12:34 pm, April 20th, 2017 - 78 comments

Lots to like in The Greens’ new power policy.

Missing voices

Written By: - Date published: 11:24 am, April 20th, 2017 - 39 comments

Former Trump supporter speaks Her Truth

 

Mental health needs vs. cuts

Written By: - Date published: 7:01 am, April 20th, 2017 - 25 comments

The People’s Mental Health Review report puts the deterioration of our mental health system firmly in the spotlight. Despite a 60 per cent increase in demand since 2007/08 National has been slashing funding. Lives are at risk.