$7.5 billion surplus
The Government has announced a $7.5 billion dollar surplus. Is it time to start spending?
politicans
grant robertson
How This Government Can Still Win
Some suggestions on how Labour can retain power at the next election.
Regulating Bankers
Grant Robertson gets occasional criticism from the left but it is hard to fault him for his timing or his delivery in seeking to strengthen banking sector oversight.
The Wellbeing budget
So what is in the Wellbeing budget and what do you think about it?
The Treasury website hack that wasn’t
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.
Who did the Treasury Hack?
New Zealand Treasury head Gabriel Makhlouf has said that Treasury’s website was attacked 2000 times in 48 hours.
Labour to relax fiscal responsibility rules
Grant Robertson has announced there will be a relaxing of the fiscal responsibility rules, although not until after the next election.
Why Labour’s student debt policy is a success
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.
@Melulater on Teachers’ Strike
Reprinted with permission from the blogsite How Melulater sees it, an important backgrounder to the impending teachers’ strike.
The benefits of a Labour led Government
Today marks the day that the largest ever increase in the minimum wage will occur.
The tax debate – Dogwhistle time
National has resorted to race baiting in its attempt to denigrate the Tax Working Group’s proposed capital gains tax.
Show us the money Simon
Hopefully the media will ask of National the tough questions, like how it is going to increase spending in critical areas, pay down debt and give us a tax cut at the same time.
Labour’s budget wellbeing objectives
The Government has announced that the next budget will include well being objectives as well as fiscal objectives.
The Reserve Bank Reform Bill
The Government is planning changes to the Reserve Bank Act to require it to seek full employment. Maybe it is time for a dramatic change to its powers so that it has the regulatory powers to properly deal with the Australian banks.
Grant Robertson is a financial genius
Remember the $11.5 billion hole that Stephen Joyce and National said Labour was going to leave the country with? Well the 2017/18 financial books have been completed and released and the Government’s surplus was $2.4 billion greater than forecast.
National will be gutted – Moodys gives New Zealand an Aaa credit rating
National’s chicken little the sky is falling mantra about New Zealand’s economy has been dealt a large hole by Moody’s confirming New Zealand’s Aaa AAA credit rating.
Scrap the spending cap
Economist Ganesh Nana and Alan Johnson from the Salvation Army have urged the Government to relax the fiscal straight jacket imposed by its budget responsibility rules.
Government with a plan
The polls are great. Top work. But I’m getting worried about the entropy of this government already. Matthew Hooten and Karl Marx agree with me.
Fudget for Austerity
Some proposals on why we just got the budget we did.
The Budget
An evolving post to cover budget announcements.
Is Karl Marx dead?
2018 marks several anniversaries of Karl Marx whose significance for the critique of capitalist society is hard to diminish. But what now for his beliefs?
Hallelujah Parliament to pass law allowing for wiping of convictions for engaging in homosexual behaviour
It is predicted that today Parliament will pass a law allowing for the expunging of convictions of adults for engaging in homosexual behaviour.
Productivity
A more productive economy – and society – has been an elusive goal for many of New Zealand’s previous governments. The last National Government failed. What will Labour do to succeed?
Media response to Labour’s budget
Media response to the new Government’s mini budget has been overwhelmingly positive.
The Minister of Finance’s Mini-Budget
Big day today as Labour’s mini budget is announced.
Can a Labour led Government win the tax debate?
Why National is currently winning the debate about tax and what Labour needs to do to change this.
The new cabinet
Details about how the next Cabinet may be made up are emerging. Winston Peters may regain the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as being Deputy Prime Minister.
Labour won’t regain power until it wins the tax debate
Labour didn’t deserve to win on Saturday because, firstly, because it failed to bring a fully-fleshed tax policy to voters, and, secondly, it never attempted to win the ideological battle over tax. To succeed at the next election, Labour must begin work today to frame this debate.
Finance debate – Grant Robertson vs big flaming gasbag
The RNZ debate between Labour and Nat finance spokespersons has just concluded – Grant Robertson vs a big flaming gasbag. Robertson very strong, gasbag unable to name One Single Person who agrees with his $11.7bn big lie.
Steven Joyce’s comprehension fail
Steven Joyce’s claim that Labour’s budget forecasts have a $11 billion dollar hole in them raises some concern with his ability to actually understand Government budgetary processes.
National’s brighter future
The homeless crisis is getting that bad in Auckland that people are dying because they have nowhere to live.
Debt to Income Loan Limits
The possible introduction of debt to income lending ratios will potentially have an enormous effect on New Zealand’s housing market.
Labour Congress so far
Speeches and policies from Congress so far.
More thoughts on the Labour-Greens Budget Responsibility Rules
The Labour-Green Budget Responsibility Rules announcement this week ought to dispel the notion that Labour and the Greens cannot work together.
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.
Grant Robertson Speech: Future of Work Commission results
Text of a speech from Grant Robertson to the 2016 Labour Party Conference concerning the results from the Future of Work Commission.