A test for NZ media and democracy
The Nats are not backing down from their $11.7bn lie. The media need to call it loudly for the big lie that it is. This is now a test for NZ’s democracy.
Economy
economy
Steven Joyce – liar or fool?
The economists have spoken, and Steven Joyce’s claim that there is a $11.7bn “hole” in Labours’ fiscal plan shows him to be either a liar or a fool. Shame on Bill English for repeating it in the debate.
Bernard Hickey: Bill English’s Trump-like denial of a productivity problem
Being compared to Trump has got to hurt. And shouldn’t there be consequences when a PM flat out lies to the country on the state of the economy?
PREFU
Today is the day for Treasury’s Pre-Election Fiscal Update (PREFU).
National – Delivering no pay rises for NZ
Expect plenty of Nat boasting on “the economy” in the election campaign. They’ll be desperate to hide the inconvenient fact that ordinary workers are going backwards.
The truth behind job numbers
Bruce Munro’s excellent piece in the ODT, looks in to the truth behind the Nats’ job numbers: “It does not take much digging in Statistics New Zealand’s latest Household Labour Force Survey to uncover a growing world of low-paid work, insufficient working hours, financial struggles and unfulfilled lives”.
The cost of the surplus
Where are our priorities?
The great Auckland housing crash of 2017
Two indicators both agree that the Auckland property market has started trending downwards. Over leveraged buyers are going to get burned, and first time buyers are still shut out. Perfect.
Jesse Mulligan owned Bill English on national television
Getting very bloody angry and speaking truth to power.
Our brilliant economy
We need new thinking on the economy – zero emissions, sustainable, a big redistribution from rich to poor. But the list of current economic woe shows that even on their own old conventional terms the Nats are useless economic managers.
Fabian seminar tonight: What would a people’s Budget look like?
Something to check out if you are in Auckland tonight, the CTU’s Bill Rosenberg discusses the budget. He will “examine the Government’s priorities and look at what needs to be done”.
Immigration and economic growth
English’s scaremongering about Labour’s immigration policy does nothing but highlight the fundamental weakness of our economy. Just how anemic are we after 9 long years?
Nats propose centrally planned economy
Not even joking.
NRT: Inflation and poverty
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.”
Gould explains how money works to Brash
Interesting series of articles in The Herald, where Bryan Gould schools Don Brash on how money works.
Billions of lies
The Nats are settling in to election mode – smoke and mirrors. Steven Joyce feeds us billions of dollars worth of lies.
The case for higher wages
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).
National’s economic report card fail
Though artificially boosted by high immigration and disaster rebuilds, the NZ economy is in the doldrums, and National are a failure even by their own goals and targets. I predict that National will soon abolish all targets, and that this will be “a sign of our success”.
Monbiot on the embedded economy
A model for a sustainable economy. Something to ponder on a wet holiday weekend.
Property porn vs. reality
Sick of the property porn on the Stuff and Herald websites? It was refreshing to read the truth for a change.
The neoliberal revolution
Thirty years old today – the longest April Fool’s joke in history?
Trumping Idiocy
If you are absolutely determined to be one of the idiot legion who’re forever squirreling their heads deeper into sand, then don’t read this post.
Labour Green fiscal framework
As widely reported this morning, Labour and the Greens have set out an agreed fiscal framework. Smart politics.
There are no surpluses
There are no surpluses in NZ right now, not in any real sense. There is only debt, negative externalities and deferred costs.
Household debt
The IMF warns that our household debt is far too high, as desperate tenants start raiding the Kiwisaver accounts to pay the rent.
Unemployment rate up
Despite National’s fiddling the figures on the way unemployment is counted, the unemployment rate is on the rise again.
Labour gets serious about regional development
Labour is serious about regional development. It is proposing a 10 year $200m package of regional initiatives. The first of these was just announced in Dunedin.
Hickey on surpluses and Key’s bullshit
Bernard Hickey: “It is extraordinary for the Prime Minister to call the Treasury’s short and long term forecasts a “load of nonsense” and yet rely on the medium term ones to promise all manner of riches to voters on the eve of an election.”
Treasury predictions – not good
Brian Fallow in The Herald summarises the take-home messages from the latest Treasury report. National have us on track to disaster.
The sharemarket moved because…
This is just something that gets my goat, and there was a particularly egregious example on the RNZ Business News this morning. Apparently […]
National tries to have it both ways
Despite the Kaikoura earthquakes, the damage to the Capital and the fact the EQC fund is now in deficit, the Government is still holding out the possibility of tax cuts in election year.
I’m a Muslim, an Immigrant and I voted Trump
Take a deep breath and transcend your fear.
Grant Robertson: Future of Work
At the Labour Conference over the weekend, Grant Robertson announced the results of the Future of Work Commission. Ideas for policy to cope with a new age of work.
The Future of Work Commission report
The Future of Work Commission report has now been released. It contains 63 recommendations including the tentative implementation of a universal basic income and a that voluntary work for approved organisations allow beneficiaries to continue to receive a benefit.
Nats backsliding on tax haven law changes
The Nats are backsliding on implementing the law changes brought on by the Panama Papers revelations. If European regulators blacklist us the consequences will be catastrophic.
Workers’ rights – the Uber ruling
Recent decision in the UK is a victory for workers and their rights.