Bernard Hickey
@bernardchickey.bsky.social
Podcaster and newsletter writer about housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa. Free and paid versions here: https://open.substack.com/pub/thekaka?r=akd4&utm_medium=ios
Game over. We can give up on substantial tax reform for at least another three years then. #nzpol thekaka.substack.com/p/opportunit...
Opportunity appears to give up on tax reform
Quilae Wong says considering ruling out tax reform to tempt Luxon into Govt-forming talks & ‘unrealistic’ to expect reform in 2026-2029; Labour’s fiscal shackle rules out real change from other side
thekaka.substack.com
This REALLY needs to be at the heart of the political discussion. We need to repeal the public finance act and the reserve bank act & Replace it with the FUTURE GENERATIONS ACT. MOKOPUNA ORA. #nzpol Amazing work @bernardchickey.bsky.social
Your Future Child Gets Mad at Game
Alt: Your Future Child Gets Mad at Game
static.klipy.com
Whakamataku - Toitū Te Tiriti 🍉@whakamataku.bsky.social · 4d agoThis is one of the most clearly explained unwinding of why the public finance act and its neoliberal underpinnings are going to continuously corrupt Aotearoa. @maramadavidson.bsky.social what is the Greens position on this toxic legislation? #nzpol
This is one of the most clearly explained unwinding of why the public finance act and its neoliberal underpinnings are going to continuously corrupt Aotearoa. @maramadavidson.bsky.social what is the Greens position on this toxic legislation? #nzpol
Sara@lotts.bsky.social · 4d ago
Cliffhanger! :) My cartoon in today's @theageaustralia.bsky.social and @sydmorningherald.bsky.social
The headline buries the lede: ❌️ Cutting benefit rates after 2yrs ❌️ Incr stand down to 26wks (up from 13wks) ❌️ Incr minimum residence period to qualify benefits from 2yrs to 5yrs These are awful, horrifying policies that will drive povery and misery #nzpol www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...
National promises random drug testing for jobseeker beneficiaries
National is promising to introduce random drug testing for those on the jobseeker benefit to ensure they're "ready for work".
rnz.co.nz
youtu.be/RAV-dHoasl8?... KiwiStack Live Election policy interview on fuel & car repair costs with Arena Willliams. Love me some @bernardchickey.bsky.social
KiwiStack Live Election policy interview on fuel & car repair costs with Labour's Arena Williams
YouTube video by The Kākā with Bernard Hickey
youtu.be
The authors of California’s proposed tax on billionaires have estimated that it would fall on as few as 200 people and would generate $100 billion in revenue for the state. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
The Battle to Pass a Billionaire Tax
Most Democratic voters say that they favor a wealth tax, but a California ballot initiative has plenty of liberal opponents.
newyorker.com
A full room and over 300 joining online - this is a large audience, politically aware and will show up to vote. Still can't believe National sent a newbie who hadn't been briefed properly (10 different times she said, I haven't been briefed on that, when asked a question 😳)
Dr Bex@drbex.bsky.social · 5d agoReady now for the IHC election forum - interested to see what each of the parties have to say about disability and the promises they will make... #nzpol #IHC
This year's El Niño continues its climb into uncharted waters; Niño3.4 region anomalies are now at a 3.4C above normal (how fitting!), higher than any prior El Niño event on record. September monthly Niño3.4 anomalies also set a record at 2.9C (beating 2015 and 1877's 2.75C).
Labour allocated no money to reversing any of this Government's benefit changes, such as indexing benefits to inflation or removing jobseeker from many 18-19-year-olds. All Barbara Edmonds would tell me about their approach was her focus was on employment: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
‘Our focus is employment’: Edmonds coy on reversing benefit cuts
Barbara Edmonds has refused to say whether she will reverse any of the current Government’s benefit reforms, after her fiscal plan allocated no new money to social development.
thepost.co.nz
Maipi-Clarke leads Hauraki-Waikato as party vote remains neck and neck
Maipi-Clarke leads Hauraki-Waikato as party vote remains neck and neck
The incumbent Te Pāti Māori MP holds a strong electorate lead.
thespinoff.co.nz
Barbara Edmonds has refused to say whether she will reverse any of the current Government’s benefit reforms, after her fiscal plan allocated no new money to social development.
‘Our focus is employment’: Edmonds coy on reversing benefit cuts
Barbara Edmonds has refused to say whether she will reverse any of the current Government’s benefit reforms, after her fiscal plan allocated no new money to social development.
dlvr.it
BREAKING: In Nebraska rally, Trump just suggested he would be unbothered to see Iran "take out" LA or San Diego: “They could take out a city,” he said. “Let them take—Let them take out Los Angeles. Let them take out San Diego. That’s—this is a very small price to pay."
While the commentariat talk up the nascent recovery (just one more year everyone!), the next slump is already upon us. Total new lending is a decent leading indicator - clear signs of stalling. [🧵1/n]
Six weeks ago, before “no new taxes” and before PREFU, Labour wanted spending and taxation to sit at around 33% - and was fine with the surplus arriving a year later. Now it is tying itself in knots trying to match Nicola Willis: www.thepost.co.nz/politics/361...
Why is Labour pretending it wants a big surplus?
COMMENT: Labour is sticking so tightly to National’s spending plans that its promises start to seem heroic. It doesn’t need to.
thepost.co.nz
The Post is running one of those 'ignore the austerity hyperbole' stories. A few things to note... 1. The article uses unadjusted figures throughout. If you adjust the $ for inflation and population, Govt operating expenditure in 2026/27 is below 2023/24 levels (by $144 per capita), and.... [🧵 1/n]
It's uncomplicated Nicola. Govt vote on creating a $100bn fund. They start to spend that fund - creating liabilities (debt) in the banking system. Govt pay interest on that. The more money Govt spend, the more money we have to pay taxes. The challenge is getting the money back, not where you find it
Worth pointing this article to the RBNZ Governor.
Te Ara Paerangi Com - Research Advocacy Capability@te-ara-paerangi.community · last wk.And government policies that are downright malicious towards the unemployed / underemployed. Mean. Very, very mean. I listened to a person about to graduate tell me that none of their mates wants to do Masters or PhDs. Why? Cannot afford to live while doing that mahi.
Crude down on the week but diesel ripping back to fresh all-time highs. Now at ~$228/bbl in New York Harbor, outstripping the prior all-time set two weeks ago.
The inflation problem. My cartoon in today's @theageaustralia.bsky.social and @sydmorningherald.bsky.social
And this is before the dividends.
Terry Baucher@trabaq.bsky.social · 2w ago#nzpol Time for some context. NACT will squawk about over $11bn of interest being payable, but after interest income the net payable is $5bn or 1.1% of GDP based on estimated GDP of $470bn to June 2027. This is *checks notes* BELOW the Eurozone, Japan and just a QUARTER of the US interest bill.
