Less a kickstart than a wee nudge with a soft shoe
The kickstart package is out and it seems to be a mixture of work that was already going to happen and stuff that […]
Economy
economy
Es ist mein teil
This year, the economy will shrink (at least) 1%. At the same time, the population will grow 1% (at least, growth may be […]
Half truths
Across the Tasman Kevin Rudd has announced a huge recovery package. Here at home, National is merely tinkering around the edges. Key’s standard […]
Better than nothing
I’ve just had a read of John Key’s speech today announcing measures to help small and medium businesses through the recession. And my […]
Does that make sense?
I know when I write a post that if two statements in the post seem to disagree someone will quickly point out the […]
A view from the coalface on RMA reforms
Our guest RMA expert, offers an analysis of National’s proposed changes to our resource management framework: National’s phase one RMA review document looks […]
First thoughts on RMA changes
We’ve got an expert guest post coming on National’s newly announced RMA changes. I’ve got a few brief(ish), non-expert thoughts first (which, hopefully […]
Lest we forget
The New Republic has a good article on Keynes that points out the tendency for governments (specifically in the US) to flock toward […]
The long game
Last night, I heard something worrying. It was Gareth Morgan saying he can’t ‘see through’ this recession; that he can’t see the economic […]
Fonterra’s Corporate Accountability
Despite very serious allegations from former Sanlu CEO Tian Wenhua that an unnamed Fonterra board member influenced her decision to not cease production […]
Pedal to the metal but still no traction
Another review of the Official Cash Rate, another record cut. This time, it’s a 1.5% cut bringing the OCR to 3.5%. That’s the […]
Paving paradise
We have received information that National’s plan to change the definition of ‘environment’ under the RMA in their 100-day legislation roll out will […]
A pointless symbolic distraction. At best.
I’m the last person who’d criticise freezing the pay of our MPs but John Key’s cynical opportunism is at best a piece of […]
What lies around the corner?
Under the full warmth of the summer sun those clouds that keep gathering on the horizon seem to have been quickly dismissed by many, with the hope […]
Let’s see the options
Over at the Dim Post Danyl is complaining about our complaining again. In a classic piece of sophistry he seems to have decided […]
Time to pony up with some policy
After three years of solid growth, the latest stats show international tourist numbers collapsing 8% last November compared to November 2007 due to the global recession. […]
Deflation rears its ugly head here and around the world
Inflation, predictably, plunged in the last quarter. With the international prices of oil and other commodities coming off their record highs following the super-spike last […]
A little help
Oddly the Standard hasn’t received its invite to the “job summit” yet. I’m sure this is just an administrative error but just in […]
Fox to guard the henhouse
The National/Act government has announced its chair for the “job summit” and it’s stock exchange boss Mark Weldon. I may be missing something […]
Easily impressed
John Key in person is extremely amiable; talking to him face to face, it’s hard not to like the bugger. I guess that […]
How peak oil can devastate the rest of the economy
We all know the story of the sub-prime crisis that had developed into the credit crisis – a flood of credit saw mortgage […]
Govt creaks into inaction
Only four weeks into a well-deserved holiday following two frantic weeks stripping Kiwis of their work rights, the National/ACT Government has been spurred […]
When will oil peak?
We’ve seen that oil production in oil fields and countries peaks long before the oil actually runs out, and as individual countries go, […]
The supply of oil must peak, get used to it
There is only so much oil in the world. It was all formed when, over the course of a few hundred million years, creatures […]
Anger, that’ll solve our problems
Yesterday, Labour leader Phil Goff challenged National to present its plan for getting the economy through the global downturn. Halfway through National/ACT’s much-hyped […]
What’s the economy? or why energy matters
The more I learn about energy, and peak oil in particular, the more concerned I get. So, in the spirit of the season, I […]
For richer
I’ve spent the last week touring around the provinces and catching up with old friends and family I haven’t seen for years and […]
Debt
A couple of good but not quite satisfying articles today. The first is Brian Gaynor’s analysis of the economy in which he lays […]
Homegrown
At the end of my post a couple of days ago I touched on the notion of a new Zealand identity and a […]
A real alternative
One of Bruce Jesson’s constant bugbears during the New Right revolution of the 80’s and 90’s was that the Left allowed itself to […]
The recession, graphically
OK, one last graph for the year. The latest GDP data isn’t pretty, a 0.4% contraction of the economy in the September quarter. […]
Granny’s advice – spend up dearies
Economics 101: if you consume more than you produce, your standard of living is unsustainable and, unless you fix the situation, it will eventually […]
Partial credit
Yay, more infrastructure spending during a recession. That’s the right thing to do – stimulate the economy and spend while the price of […]
Good one Bill II
It’s good to see Bill English acknowledge the last government has left New Zealand in a good position to face the economic crisis. […]
It’s bad, what to do?
The latest Treasury economic forecasts are out and, in a continuing pattern, they not only make worse reading than the previous updates but […]
Rod Oram: The global crisis is real
As usual an insightful analysis from Rod Oram on the need for our political and business sector leaders to better come to grips […]