Shows
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to May 9The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer on news about climate change’s role in spreading birdflu in the United States and elsewhere, research showing marine heatwaves gathering around Aotearoa-NZ and news NIWA has a new climate role-playing game called Future Coasts Aotearoa. We also talked about Troy Baisden’s statement on the appointment of the new PM’s Chief Science Advisor John Roche.* Robert Patman about the latest news...2025-05-081h 05The HoonThe Hoon around the week to May 9The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer on news about climate change’s role in spreading birdflu in the United States and elsewhere, research showing marine heatwaves gathering around Aotearoa-NZ and news NIWA has a new climate role-playing game called Future Coasts Aotearoa. We also talked about Troy Baisden’s statement on the appointment of the new PM’s Chief Science Advisor John Roche.* Robert Patman about the latest news...2025-05-081h 05
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to April 18The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer on a global survey of over 3,000 economists and scientists showing a significant divide in views on green growth; and ACT leader David Seymour’s comments that the Reserve Bank’s budget cut would stop it wasting money on climate change assessment.* Robert Patman on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff shock and differing opinions about China and th...2025-04-171h 02The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 18The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer on a global survey of over 3,000 economists and scientists showing a significant divide in views on green growth; and ACT leader David Seymour’s comments that the Reserve Bank’s budget cut would stop it wasting money on climate change assessment.* Robert Patman on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff shock and differing opinions about China and th...2025-04-171h 02
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 11The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer and Robert Patman on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,* Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair Boyd Swinburn on the launch of Let’s Level the Playing Field, a campaign to reform lobbying.The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was prod...2025-04-101h 07The HoonThe Hoon around the week to April 11The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Cathrine Dyer and Robert Patman on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s shock and (partial) backflip; and,* Health Coalition Aotearoa Chair Boyd Swinburn on the launch of Let’s Level the Playing Field, a campaign to reform lobbying.The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 paying subscribers and was prod...2025-04-101h 07
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Feb 14The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Robert Patman and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine;* Cathrine Dyer on the week in climate news, including a major new paper on accelerating climate change from Dr James Hansen et al, and January’s surprisingly high temperature average; and,* University of Canterbury Professor Anne-Marie Brady on the latest dip...2025-02-131h 00The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Feb 14The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including:* Robert Patman and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine;* Cathrine Dyer on the week in climate news, including a major new paper on accelerating climate change from Dr James Hansen et al, and January’s surprisingly high temperature average; and,* University of Canterbury Professor Anne-Marie Brady on the latest dip...2025-02-131h 00
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the year to December 20, 2024The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the year’s news with:* Cathrine Dyer on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. Cathrine’s person of the year was David Seymour.* Robert Patman on geopolitics. His book of the year was Terence O’Brien’s Consolations of Insignificance: A New Zealand Diplomatic Memoir, which was also Helen Clark’s book of the year, and Robe...2024-12-191h 05The HoonThe Hoon around the year to December 20, 2024The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the year’s news with:* Cathrine Dyer on climate. Her book of the year was Tim Winton’s cli-fi novel Juice and she also mentioned Mike Joy’s memoir The Fight for Fresh Water. Cathrine’s person of the year was David Seymour.* Robert Patman on geopolitics. His book of the year was Terence O’Brien’s Consolations of Insignificance: A New Zealand Diplomatic Memoir, which was also Helen Clark’s book of the year, and Robe...2024-12-191h 05
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to December 13The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:* Cathrine Dyer on the Government’s inadequate final emissions reduction plan and pro-business climate appointments;* Robert Patman on the lightening overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and what might happen next in Ukraine as the world’s diplomats, traders and markets brace for Donald Trump’s re-inauguation on January 10.The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 pay...2024-12-1256 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to December 13The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:* Cathrine Dyer on the Government’s inadequate final emissions reduction plan and pro-business climate appointments;* Robert Patman on the lightening overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and what might happen next in Ukraine as the world’s diplomats, traders and markets brace for Donald Trump’s re-inauguation on January 10.The Hoon’s podcast version above was recorded on Thursday night during a live webinar for over 200 pay...2024-12-1256 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to November 1The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on the latest climate news, including research showing the lethality of gas hobs and research on the health effects of climate change;* Robert Patman on the US Presidential elections and Israel’s banning of UNRWA.* Special guest Elaine Monaghan, who is a professor of practice in journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington, and contributed to Reuters coverage of Ukraine, hav...2024-10-3155 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to November 1The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey & Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on the latest climate news, including research showing the lethality of gas hobs and research on the health effects of climate change;* Robert Patman on the US Presidential elections and Israel’s banning of UNRWA.* Special guest Elaine Monaghan, who is a professor of practice in journalism at Indiana University in Bloomington, and contributed to Reuters coverage of Ukraine, hav...2024-10-3155 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to August 10TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about the week’s news with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on this week’s explosion in wholesale electricity prices;* Robert Patman on the latest on Ukraine’s incursion into Russia, the conflicts in Gaza and the Middle East, and on the debate about Aotearoa joining AUKUS;* Sanjana Hattotuwa, Research Director at The Disinformation Project, on the role of disinformation in civil unrest in Bangladesh, the UK and Aotearo...2024-08-091h 02
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to July 26TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and the rapid crumble of the Thwaites Glacier;* University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman on the likely Democratic candidacy of Kamala Harris for US President and any implications for US foreign policy on Gaza, Ukraine, NATO and AUKUS;2024-07-2551 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to July 19TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;* University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman and special guest Dr Karin von Hippel, the Director General of RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute in London, talk about what the attempted assassination of Donald Trump means in Geopolitics and for Aotearoa-NZ;* Simplicity CEO Sam Stubbs talks about Simp...2024-07-181h 05The HoonThe Hoon around the week to July 19TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;* University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman and special guest Dr Karin von Hippel, the Director General of RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute in London, talk about what the attempted assassination of Donald Trump means in Geopolitics and for Aotearoa-NZ;* Simplicity CEO Sam Stubbs talks about Simp...2024-07-181h 05
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to July 12TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s climate strategy ‘pamphlet’, its watering down of Clean Car Standards and its general lack of coherence;* University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman and special guest Helen Clark talking about the NATO summit, the debate about Aotearoa joining AUKUS II and how MFAT, DPMC and security establishment officials often try to push us back closer to our former ANZUS p...2024-07-111h 08
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to June 14TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with:* The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s moves this week to take farming out of the ETS and encourage more mining and oil and gas drilling;* Robert Patman about the visit by China’s Premier Li Qiang to Wellington yesterday this week, what it means for Aotearoa-NZ’s relations with our largest trading partner, and whether we can (or should) join AUKUS II; and,* Politico Europ...2024-06-1356 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to May 24TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about this week’s Kainga Ora and first home loan news, along with regular guest Robert Patman on China’s warning to New Zealand and special guests Michael J Field on the riots in New Caledonia and Giorgi Lomsadze on the escalating protests in Georgia against Russian influence. The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week include...2024-05-2354 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to May 17TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guest Robert Patman and special guest former PM Helen Clark on Aukus II and much more. We also spoke with Ngāti Toa CEO Helmut Modlik about why his iwi opposes the Fast-track Approval bill.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Housing & climate - Opposition to the Government’s Fast-track...2024-05-161h 01
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to May 10TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guest Robert Patman on geopolitics, and special guest Jesse Richardson from A City for People on a big victory for YIMBYs in Wellington this week.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Housing: In a big win for YIMBYs over NIMBYs in the nation’s capital, Housing and RMA Reform Minister C...2024-05-091h 01
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to May 3TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and Cathrine Dyer on climate change. Special guest Craig Renney talks about public sector job cuts this week and the Government’s big investment freeze at the end of the podcast.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Housing: A global sur...2024-05-021h 00
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to April 19TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and Cathrine Dyer on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Climate: Ongoing double-digit hikes in council rates and insurance linked to climate change helped pump up March quarter inflation and is helping to delay mortgage rate cuts until late this year, or even early 2025. So should the ...2024-04-1956 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 12TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale, along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, Merja Myllylahti on AUT’s trust in news report, Awhi’s Holly Bennett on a watered-down voluntary code for lobbyists, plus special guest Patrick Gower on the closure of Newshub.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Chris Bishop rejecting a Hamilton community housing provider’s plea for capital to build 4...2024-04-111h 05The HoonThe Hoon around the week to April 12TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale, along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, Merja Myllylahti on AUT’s trust in news report, Awhi’s Holly Bennett on a watered-down voluntary code for lobbyists, plus special guest Patrick Gower on the closure of Newshub.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Chris Bishop rejecting a Hamilton community housing provider’s plea for capital to build 4...2024-04-111h 05
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 5TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Confidence in the Government, as measured by Roy Morgan’s ‘Right Track/Wrong Track’ survey, collapsed in March by more than it fell for Labour in any one month of the late-2021 lockdowns in Auckland. See Thursday’s email.* Confidence about the Government and support for the three governing coalition parties fell the most among women, with young women the least supportive of National/ACT...2024-04-0459 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to April 5TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Confidence in the Government, as measured by Roy Morgan’s ‘Right Track/Wrong Track’ survey, collapsed in March by more than it fell for Labour in any one month of the late-2021 lockdowns in Auckland. See Thursday’s email.* Confidence about the Government and support for the three governing coalition parties fell the most among women, with young women the least supportive of National/ACT...2024-04-0459 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to March 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who would be grateful for the lower rents it would produce. But his comments are at odds with official research and the evidence of the last 20 years of rents and mortgage costs. See Thursday’s email.* The Climate Commission told the new Government to cut the number of car...2024-03-141h 02The HoonThe Hoon around the week to March 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who would be grateful for the lower rents it would produce. But his comments are at odds with official research and the evidence of the last 20 years of rents and mortgage costs. See Thursday’s email.* The Climate Commission told the new Government to cut the number of car...2024-03-141h 02
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to March 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government completed the 49 tasks it set itself in its 100-day plan on Friday, using urgency in Parliament more than any recent Government to pass repeals of RMA, Smokefree, Three Waters, Auckland Fuel Levy, Clean Car Discount and RBNZ employment mandate legislation, and to introduce its Fast-track Approvals Bill. See Friday’s email.* In an effort to save $340 million a year...2024-03-0855 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to March 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government completed the 49 tasks it set itself in its 100-day plan on Friday, using urgency in Parliament more than any recent Government to pass repeals of RMA, Smokefree, Three Waters, Auckland Fuel Levy, Clean Car Discount and RBNZ employment mandate legislation, and to introduce its Fast-track Approvals Bill. See Friday’s email.* In an effort to save $340 million a year...2024-03-0855 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to March 2TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Newsroom’s Marc Daalder reported on Friday PM Christopher Luxon was claiming $52,000 a year in rental costs from the taxpayer for living in his own apartment in Wellington when he could have lived in Premier House , as previous PMs from outside Wellington have done. After saying he was fully entitled to claim the expense on Friday morning, he reversed his position on Friday afternoon, saying the is...2024-03-0158 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to March 2TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Newsroom’s Marc Daalder reported on Friday PM Christopher Luxon was claiming $52,000 a year in rental costs from the taxpayer for living in his own apartment in Wellington when he could have lived in Premier House , as previous PMs from outside Wellington have done. After saying he was fully entitled to claim the expense on Friday morning, he reversed his position on Friday afternoon, saying the is...2024-03-0158 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Feb 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government itself plans to accidentally and deliberately accelerate inflation via hikes in central and local Government fees and charges in the coming 18 months, which endangers its hopes for lowering mortgage rates. See Monday’s email.* Jobs growth and wage inflation was slightly stronger than expected in the December quarter, which increased market expectations the Reserve Bank may actually start...2024-02-0857 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Feb 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government itself plans to accidentally and deliberately accelerate inflation via hikes in central and local Government fees and charges in the coming 18 months, which endangers its hopes for lowering mortgage rates. See Monday’s email.* Jobs growth and wage inflation was slightly stronger than expected in the December quarter, which increased market expectations the Reserve Bank may actually start...2024-02-0857 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Jan 26TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The Reserve Bank’s proposal this week to loosen Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) restrictions at the same time as introducing Debt To Income (DTI) restrictions is expected to add demand pressure to house prices, just as the central bank is expected to start cutting interest rates. See Thursday’s email.* Cabinet met on Tuesday under intense pressure from councils and the infrastructure industry...2024-01-251h 00The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Jan 26TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The Reserve Bank’s proposal this week to loosen Loan to Value Ratio (LVR) restrictions at the same time as introducing Debt To Income (DTI) restrictions is expected to add demand pressure to house prices, just as the central bank is expected to start cutting interest rates. See Thursday’s email.* Cabinet met on Tuesday under intense pressure from councils and the infrastructure industry...2024-01-251h 00
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Jan 20TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government shut down the Auckland ‘Light’ Rail project to avoid spending up to $29.2 billion over decades, which was the right decision for the wrong reasons and still leaves the Government liable for unachieved emissions reductions and without congestion-reducing solutions for unplanned population growth running at over 3% per annum. Monday’s Dawn Chorus.* We decided The Kaka would stay on Substac...2024-01-1957 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to Jan 20TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The new National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government shut down the Auckland ‘Light’ Rail project to avoid spending up to $29.2 billion over decades, which was the right decision for the wrong reasons and still leaves the Government liable for unachieved emissions reductions and without congestion-reducing solutions for unplanned population growth running at over 3% per annum. Monday’s Dawn Chorus.* We decided The Kaka would stay on Substac...2024-01-1957 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Dec 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* PM Christopher Luxon said the record-high net migration of the last year was “unsustainable” and he had asked Immigration Minister Erica Stanford to look at tightening settings, having argued during the election campaign for looser settings to boost the economy. Wednesday’s email* The new Government cancelled plans for two new ferries and terminals for the Interislander, rejecting a $1.5 billion funding request from Kiwirail a...2023-12-141h 01The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Dec 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* PM Christopher Luxon said the record-high net migration of the last year was “unsustainable” and he had asked Immigration Minister Erica Stanford to look at tightening settings, having argued during the election campaign for looser settings to boost the economy. Wednesday’s email* The new Government cancelled plans for two new ferries and terminals for the Interislander, rejecting a $1.5 billion funding request from Kiwirail a...2023-12-141h 01
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Dec 8TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a very high bar for retaining confidence in her rhetoric by accusing Labour of “economic vandalism” in handing over a set of books ridden with ‘hidden’ “fiscal cliffs” worth billions, but without detail. That will come on December 20. Tuesday’s email* The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost $1.5 billion per km, according to a g...2023-12-071h 00The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Dec 8TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* New Finance Minister Nicola Willis set herself a very high bar for retaining confidence in her rhetoric by accusing Labour of “economic vandalism” in handing over a set of books ridden with ‘hidden’ “fiscal cliffs” worth billions, but without detail. That will come on December 20. Tuesday’s email* The 3.5 km City Rail Link (CRL) tunnel under Auckland’s CBD has cost $1.5 billion per km, according to a g...2023-12-071h 00
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Dec 1TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters signed coalition-forming agreements, announced a ministerial list, were sworn in, held their first Cabinet meetings and released a 100-day plan with 49 to-do items; See Friday’s email* National, ACT and NZ First agreed to drop National’s plan for a foreign buyers tax and adopt ACT’s plan for faster tax cuts for landlords, to be paid for b...2023-11-301h 02The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Dec 1TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Christopher Luxon, David Seymour and Winston Peters signed coalition-forming agreements, announced a ministerial list, were sworn in, held their first Cabinet meetings and released a 100-day plan with 49 to-do items; See Friday’s email* National, ACT and NZ First agreed to drop National’s plan for a foreign buyers tax and adopt ACT’s plan for faster tax cuts for landlords, to be paid for b...2023-11-301h 02
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Nov 24TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* National Leader Christopher Luxon announced last night he had agreed policies and ministerial roles with ACT Leader David Seymour and NZ First Leader Winston Peters yesterday, with final signoffs from party boards expected last night, before a signing and the release of policy details this morning, and the naming of a ministerial lineup this afternoon; * Westpac last night cut its two-year fixed mortgage rate...2023-11-2357 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to Nov 24TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* National Leader Christopher Luxon announced last night he had agreed policies and ministerial roles with ACT Leader David Seymour and NZ First Leader Winston Peters yesterday, with final signoffs from party boards expected last night, before a signing and the release of policy details this morning, and the naming of a ministerial lineup this afternoon; * Westpac last night cut its two-year fixed mortgage rate...2023-11-2357 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Nov 11TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* A new official report quietly buried by the Labour Government in its final months in power identifies over 300,000 people are now living in housing and energy poverty so severe that they are unable to afford the power needed to stay warm in winter, have warm showers or cook their own food; Friday’s email* European Union scientists estimated that 2023 was on track to be the...2023-11-1059 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Nov 11TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* A new official report quietly buried by the Labour Government in its final months in power identifies over 300,000 people are now living in housing and energy poverty so severe that they are unable to afford the power needed to stay warm in winter, have warm showers or cook their own food; Friday’s email* European Union scientists estimated that 2023 was on track to be the...2023-11-1059 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Oct 14TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Population growth from immigration of temporary workers to replace and supplement emigrating resident workers rose to more than 2% in the last year, without nearly enough infrastructure built or planned for two decades at that level, and without any real debate just days before an election. Thursday’s email.* National’s tax switch plan would create a direct wealth transfer from beneficiaries to landlords totallin...2023-10-141h 10The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Oct 14TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Population growth from immigration of temporary workers to replace and supplement emigrating resident workers rose to more than 2% in the last year, without nearly enough infrastructure built or planned for two decades at that level, and without any real debate just days before an election. Thursday’s email.* National’s tax switch plan would create a direct wealth transfer from beneficiaries to landlords totallin...2023-10-141h 10
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Oct 7TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The failure of yet another pre-fabricated house builder and a legal threat against our biggest council to force more greenfields development showed how our economy and society are now just a residential land market with bits tacked on. Thursday’s email. * A CTU analysis of National’s tax cuts finds less than 3,000 households will get the top tax cut of $252/fortnight, surprising those who beli...2023-10-0755 minThe HoonThe Hoon around the week to Oct 7TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* The failure of yet another pre-fabricated house builder and a legal threat against our biggest council to force more greenfields development showed how our economy and society are now just a residential land market with bits tacked on. Thursday’s email. * A CTU analysis of National’s tax cuts finds less than 3,000 households will get the top tax cut of $252/fortnight, surprising those who beli...2023-10-0755 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Sept 30TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, but did so at the same time NZTA/Waka Kotahi cut $50 million from funding for cycleways from the Climate Emergency Response Fund. Friday’s email.* National and ACT unveiled policies to label and sanction beneficiaries, just as fresh research emerged showing the need for many, many more s...2023-09-291h 06The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Sept 30TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:* Labour presented a climate manifesto that aimed to claim the high ground on climate action vs National, but did so at the same time NZTA/Waka Kotahi cut $50 million from funding for cycleways from the Climate Emergency Response Fund. Friday’s email.* National and ACT unveiled policies to label and sanction beneficiaries, just as fresh research emerged showing the need for many, many more s...2023-09-291h 06
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyRepeat: The Hoon around the week to Sept 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* I interviewed Labour Leader and PM Chris Hipkins about Labour’s pitch for re-election for When The Facts Change, which was published yesterday here in video form.* National Leader Christopher Luxon and Hipkins laid out their visions for economic and business growth this week, but failed again to address the elephants in the room of our political economy. I wrote about that in Thursday’s email.2023-09-081h 00The HoonRepeat: The Hoon around the week to Sept 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* I interviewed Labour Leader and PM Chris Hipkins about Labour’s pitch for re-election for When The Facts Change, which was published yesterday here in video form.* National Leader Christopher Luxon and Hipkins laid out their visions for economic and business growth this week, but failed again to address the elephants in the room of our political economy. I wrote about that in Thursday’s email.2023-09-081h 00
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Sept 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* I interviewed Labour Leader and PM Chris Hipkins about Labour’s pitch for re-election for When The Facts Change, which was published yesterday here in video form.* National Leader Christopher Luxon and Hipkins laid out their visions for economic and business growth this week, but failed again to address the elephants in the room of our political economy. I wrote about that in Thursday’s email.2023-09-081h 00The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Sept 9TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* I interviewed Labour Leader and PM Chris Hipkins about Labour’s pitch for re-election for When The Facts Change, which was published yesterday here in video form.* National Leader Christopher Luxon and Hipkins laid out their visions for economic and business growth this week, but failed again to address the elephants in the room of our political economy. I wrote about that in Thursday’s email.2023-09-081h 00
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Sept 2TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* National launched its Election 2023 plan for $14.6 billion of tax cuts paid for with government spending cuts, a raid on climate funds and a few new taxes on home-buying migrants and migrants paying for visas. I previewed the plan in Wednesday morning’s email.* National’s plan directs most of the $14.6 billion at the ‘squeezed middle’ of home-owning and car-driving families with children in childcare, but leaves behin...2023-09-0158 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Sept 2TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* National launched its Election 2023 plan for $14.6 billion of tax cuts paid for with government spending cuts, a raid on climate funds and a few new taxes on home-buying migrants and migrants paying for visas. I previewed the plan in Wednesday morning’s email.* National’s plan directs most of the $14.6 billion at the ‘squeezed middle’ of home-owning and car-driving families with children in childcare, but leaves behin...2023-09-0158 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to Aug 26TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* We launched The Kākā project for Election 2023 in Friday’s email.* The Government agreed 50:50 funding deals with Auckland Council and Gisborne District Council to buy back land and repair infrastructure damaged by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle in January and February. I wrote about it Thursday’s email titled: Making up our climate response as we go.* National said it would shift away from fuel t...2023-08-2552 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to Aug 26TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:* We launched The Kākā project for Election 2023 in Friday’s email.* The Government agreed 50:50 funding deals with Auckland Council and Gisborne District Council to buy back land and repair infrastructure damaged by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle in January and February. I wrote about it Thursday’s email titled: Making up our climate response as we go.* National said it would shift away from fuel t...2023-08-2552 min
The HoonThe Hoon around the week to July 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that I wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers this week included:* PM Chris Hipkins ruling out a wealth or capital gains tax for his time as PM Friday’s email;* two political opinion polls showing support for Labour dropping, which is increasing the chances of a National/ACT victory in the General Election on October 14, or a hung parliament Thursday’s email and Friday’s email;* statistics showing nearly 3,000 New Zealanders a month are migrating to Australia...2023-07-1459 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to July 15TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that I wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers this week included:* PM Chris Hipkins ruling out a wealth or capital gains tax for his time as PM Friday’s email;* two political opinion polls showing support for Labour dropping, which is increasing the chances of a National/ACT victory in the General Election on October 14, or a hung parliament Thursday’s email and Friday’s email;* statistics showing nearly 3,000 New Zealanders a month are migrating to Australia...2023-07-1459 min
The HoonThe Hoon: National ruling out TPM; the end of the Washington consensus; a call for more tax on the wealthiestTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for paying subscribers included:* Migration stats showing annualised net migration running at well over 100,000, creating population growth of close to 2%, which is four times the rate the Stats NZ and Infrastructure NZ assume for long term population growth; Friday’s Chat* Finance Minister Grant Robertson saying New Zealand couldn’t afford the $220 billion of spending needed to rectify past under-investment in infrastructure and cope with population growth of 0.5% per year, but simply stated we could handle current population...2023-05-1255 min
The HoonThe hoon: Railmageddons; climate politics, tax and drone strikesTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for paying subscribers included:* A screed of bank results showing yet more surges in net profit from the big four that dominate our economy and fuel our housing market, just as the Reserve Bank unveiled evidence the banks are too profitable, relative to the risk they take for shareholders. Friday’s email.* The Reserve Bank reporting that those households with mortgages remain much less stressed than they were in the 2008 to 2015 period, thanks to almost half being ahead on t...2023-05-051h 00The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe hoon: Railmageddons; climate politics, tax and drone strikesTLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for paying subscribers included:* A screed of bank results showing yet more surges in net profit from the big four that dominate our economy and fuel our housing market, just as the Reserve Bank unveiled evidence the banks are too profitable, relative to the risk they take for shareholders. Friday’s email.* The Reserve Bank reporting that those households with mortgages remain much less stressed than they were in the 2008 to 2015 period, thanks to almost half being ahead on t...2023-05-051h 00
The HoonThe hoon for the week that was to April 29TLDR: This week’s news in geopolitics and Aotearoa’s political economy I covered via The Kākā for paying subscribers included:* An Inland Revenue Department study of Aotearoa’s 311 wealthiest families with combined wealth of $85 billion and annual income in 2020/21 of $14.6 billion has found just seven percent of their income was taxed as personal taxable income that year because of the lack of a capital gains tax; Special report on Wednesday and Wednesday’s Dawn Chorus* That meant their effective tax rate was 9.5% across all their income, even after calculating their payments of GST, which comp...2023-04-281h 01
The HoonThe hoon for the week that was to March 12This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thekaka.substack.comTLDR: This week’s news in geo-politics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:* National proposed a select committee inquiry into bank profits, which prompted the Government to say it was considering a full market study of the banking sector by the Commerce Commission (Thursday’s email);* National proposed allowing easier foreign investment in build-to-rent projects and allowing owners to claim depreciation, as student accommodation, retirement villages and others can now;* Transport Minist...2023-03-1152 min
The HoonThe hoon for the week that was to March 4TLDR: This week’s news in geo-politics and the political economy covered on The Kākā included:* National released its plan to repeal Three Waters and push the responsibility, the bill and the blame for building infrastructure back down to councils, with Christopher Luxon pledging the plan would not increase rates, although he acknowledged councils may lift water charges; Monday’s email and podcast* Christchurch City Council finally agreed a district plan that included some elements of the Government’s bi-partisan ‘Townhouse nation’ housing densification rules, but councillors took out more than a third of the expected...2023-03-0358 min
The HoonThe hoon for the week that was to Feb 26This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thekaka.substack.comTLDR: This week, the clean up after cyclone Gabrielle forced the Government into a last-minute rewrite of its pre-election Budget 2023 set for May 18, but the Reserve Bank warned it against spending with extra tax or less spending to ensure the rebuild doesn’t generate more inflation in an economy straining at full capacity. Finance Minister Grant Robertson wouldn’t rule out a cyclone tax of some sort to pay for potentially billions of dollars of repairing and rebuilding in Te T...2023-02-2659 min
The HoonThe week that was to Jan 28TLDR: Chris Hipkins signalled in his first week as PM he was open to loosening migration settings and would ‘rein in’ unnecessary Government spending to focus on ‘bread and butter’ cost-of-living issues once he picks his full Cabinet next week.Also in our political economy, the global economy and geo-politics this week:* December quarter inflation was softer than the Reserve Bank (Te Pūtea Matua) expected so some economists and most traders dialled down their expectations for the bank’s next rate hike on February 22 to just 50 basis points from 75 basis points;* Signs of a soft l...2023-01-2759 min
The HoonThe week that was to Jan 22TLDR: Jacinda Ardern shocked almost everyone by returning from a summer break this week and resigning as Prime Minister because she said had “nothing left in the tank.” Perhaps even more surprising, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Grant Robertson said he did not want the top job, having tried and failed twice to become Labour Leader in 2011 and 2014.Within 48 hours, the Labour Caucus settled on Chris Hipkins as the sole candidate to be Ardern’s replacement as Prime Minister. The caucus is expected to confirm him as the new Labour Leader and next Prime Minister shortl...2023-01-2148 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week that was to Jan 22TLDR: Jacinda Ardern shocked almost everyone by returning from a summer break this week and resigning as Prime Minister because she said had “nothing left in the tank.” Perhaps even more surprising, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Grant Robertson said he did not want the top job, having tried and failed twice to become Labour Leader in 2011 and 2014.Within 48 hours, the Labour Caucus settled on Chris Hipkins as the sole candidate to be Ardern’s replacement as Prime Minister. The caucus is expected to confirm him as the new Labour Leader and next Prime Minister shortl...2023-01-2148 min
The HoonThe year that was and the year aheadTLDR: This year the long effects of covid and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine generated global labour and energy supply shocks that fired up already-hot demand-led inflation from 2020 and 2021. That forced central banks to slam on the interest rate brakes, which is forecast to create recessions next year, just as inflation comes off the boil. In Aotearoa, the Labour Government’s popularity cratered and house prices slumped at the same time as covid finally raced through a mostly-vaccinated population in a couple of waves. Covid, vaccination mandates and winter flu outbreaks stressed an under-invested and under-staffed health syst...2022-12-1951 min
The HoonThe week that was to Nov 20TLDR: This week in geo-politics, the global economy and Aotearoa’s political economy, we learned:* the Government’s RMA replacement will take 10 years and keep distracting us all from the magical thinking of the last 30 years that low taxes and investment co-exist with high population growth; Thursday’s Deep Dive* a new report showed the big electricity gentailers paid out $3.7b in excess dividendss in the last eight years, starving investment in renewable generation and delaying our emissions reduction; Tuesday’s Deep Dive* three opinion polls showed National’s lead over Labour narrowing and Christ...2022-11-191h 04
The HoonThe week that was to Oct 30TLDR: This week in geo-politics, the global economy and Aotearoa’s political economy, we learned:* China is retreating further into itself under a now completely dominant Xi Jinping;* global investors think central banks are about to do a ‘dovish pivot’ on interest rates;* but Adrian Orr isn’t ready to pivot yet and wants unemployment to rise first;* our Employment Court ruled Uber drivers are employees and the Fair Pay Act passed;* ANZ reported record profits and its economists forecast a 27% fall in real house prices; and,* The UN f...2022-10-291h 02The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week that was to Oct 30TLDR: This week in geo-politics, the global economy and Aotearoa’s political economy, we learned:* China is retreating further into itself under a now completely dominant Xi Jinping;* global investors think central banks are about to do a ‘dovish pivot’ on interest rates;* but Adrian Orr isn’t ready to pivot yet and wants unemployment to rise first;* our Employment Court ruled Uber drivers are employees and the Fair Pay Act passed;* ANZ reported record profits and its economists forecast a 27% fall in real house prices; and,* The UN f...2022-10-291h 02
The HoonThe week that was to Oct 22TLDR: This week in geo-politics, the global economy and our local political economy, our inflation was hotter than expected as profit margins rose, Xi Jinping doubled down on China’s zero Covid strategy, the Government loosened migration settings without a population plan or enough infrastructure, and Liz Truss resigned.The podcast above is a recording of our weekly ‘hoon’ (plural for Kaka) webinar for paying subscribers, which co-host Peter Bale and myself regularly do on Fridays for an hour at 5pm. This week’s edition includes special guests Robert Patman, a Professor in International Relations at the Universi...2022-10-221h 00
The HoonThe week that was to Oct 7TLDR: This week in the news in geo-politics, the global economy and Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy:* Te Pūtea Matua (The Reserve Bank) hiked its interest rates again to control inflation (Thursday’s email);* the Government revealed a robust set of accounts that will allow room for competing tax cut offers in next year’s election (Thursday’s email);* local elections came to a close with a revolt against the Government brewing (Interviews with Efeso Collins and Simon Wilson);* TOP proposed a residential land tax to pay for income tax cuts for low t...2022-10-071h 02
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week that was to Oct 2TLDR: This week the financial and geo-political outlooks darkened in Britain and northern Europe after Britain’s plans for unfunded tax cuts were trashed by financial markets and sabotage of gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea aggravated tensions between NATO and Russia. Closer to home, National’s leaders Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis were forced to deny their tax cuts were similar to Britain’s disastrous plans and postal voting in council elections got off to a slow start, prompting suggestions they should be run in future by the Electoral Commission in similar ways to the General Electi...2022-10-011h 03The HoonThe week that was to Oct 2TLDR: This week the financial and geo-political outlooks darkened in Britain and northern Europe after Britain’s plans for unfunded tax cuts were trashed by financial markets and sabotage of gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea aggravated tensions between NATO and Russia. Closer to home, National’s leaders Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis were forced to deny their tax cuts were similar to Britain’s disastrous plans and postal voting in council elections got off to a slow start, prompting suggestions they should be run in future by the Electoral Commission in similar ways to the General Electi...2022-10-011h 03
The HoonThe week that was for the week to Sept 25TLDR: This week The Kākā had its first anniversary as a paid subscription email newsletter and podcast. We marked the occasion at midday for an hour on Friday by having a special ‘hoon’ webinar for all subscribers to discuss the events of the week in geo-politics and Aotearoa-NZ.Popular special guests Professor Robert Patman from the University of Otago, ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner and Dominion Post columnist Josie Pagani joined myself and Hoon co-host Peter Bale to discuss some monumental events in geo-politics and the global economy, and what they might mean for our political econom...2022-09-2459 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week that was to Sept 17TLDR: The podcast above is a recording of our Weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers. We do this every Friday for an hour at 5pm and it’s one of our most popular features, along with my Ask Me Anything session from midday on a Friday. Yesterday’s was a cracker. This week’s guests on the ‘hoon’ were University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman and Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr.This week I was in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Whanganui-a-tara and co-host Peter Bale joined us from Tamaki Makaurau.The five thing...2022-09-171h 04The HoonThe week that was to Sept 17TLDR: The podcast above is a recording of our Weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers. We do this every Friday for an hour at 5pm and it’s one of our most popular features, along with my Ask Me Anything session from midday on a Friday. Yesterday’s was a cracker. This week’s guests on the ‘hoon’ were University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor Robert Patman and Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr.This week I was in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Whanganui-a-tara and co-host Peter Bale joined us from Tamaki Makaurau.The five thing...2022-09-171h 04
The HoonThe hoon around the week to July 17TLDR: This week, demands to loosen restrictions on bringing in migrant workers grew to a crescendo amid widespread delays, cancellations and employer concerns about wage inflation. In Thursday’s Chorus, I looked at whether a loosening is a good idea on its own, and what a bipartisan deal on migration along with infrastructure spending should look like.Also, the Reserve Bank hiked its official interest rate as expected and house prices kept falling, but I took a closer look in Wednesday’s Chorus at the central bank’s $12.7b worth of cheap loans for banks, which are diluti...2022-07-1659 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe hoon around the week to July 17TLDR: This week, demands to loosen restrictions on bringing in migrant workers grew to a crescendo amid widespread delays, cancellations and employer concerns about wage inflation. In Thursday’s Chorus, I looked at whether a loosening is a good idea on its own, and what a bipartisan deal on migration along with infrastructure spending should look like.Also, the Reserve Bank hiked its official interest rate as expected and house prices kept falling, but I took a closer look in Wednesday’s Chorus at the central bank’s $12.7b worth of cheap loans for banks, which are diluti...2022-07-1659 min
The HoonThe hoon around the week to July 9TLDR: This week PM Jacinda Ardern pushed back at talk Aotearoa-NZ has joined the ‘west’ too strongly in a new cold war between the United States and China, British PM Boris Johnson (finally) resigned (sort of) and former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was shot and killed.Closer to home, two-year mortgage rates were cut 30-40 basis points to around 5.45%, commodity prices fell again as global recession fears mount, and consumer confidence here slumped despite record-low unemployment and household income growth actually being more than than the CPI inflation rate. Also:* the Infrastructure Commission told...2022-07-081h 01The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe hoon around the week to July 9TLDR: This week PM Jacinda Ardern pushed back at talk Aotearoa-NZ has joined the ‘west’ too strongly in a new cold war between the United States and China, British PM Boris Johnson (finally) resigned (sort of) and former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe was shot and killed.Closer to home, two-year mortgage rates were cut 30-40 basis points to around 5.45%, commodity prices fell again as global recession fears mount, and consumer confidence here slumped despite record-low unemployment and household income growth actually being more than than the CPI inflation rate. Also:* the Infrastructure Commission told...2022-07-081h 01
The HoonThe hoon about the week that was to June 10TLDR: This week our Reserve Bank detailed its plans to slowly unwind its $55b of Covid-era money printing, the European Central Bank finally stopped its money printing to fight inflation of over 8%, the United Nations warned the war in Ukraine was unleashing a global hunger and poverty catastrophe, and Simplicity Living cancelled its orders to buy Gib from Fletcher Building.Elsewhere: US inflation figures overnight was higher than expected, which triggered another slump in share prices and fears the US Federal Reserve will have to hike interest rates much faster and higher than previously thought. Meanwhile, the...2022-06-111h 05
The HoonThe hoon about the week that was to June 3TLDR: In the podcast above of this week’s ‘hoon’ webinar for paid subscribers, co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale bring talk with special guests Robert Patman and Josie Pagani about China’s backlash against a strengthening of NZ’s security ties with the United States.This is our weekly sampler email for both free and paid subscribers.A reminder to free subscribers reading here that we have a special $30 a year deal for under 30s and that students and teachers should sign up for the free tier using their ‘school’ or ‘ac’ email addresses to get converted t...2022-06-041h 04
The HoonThe hoon about the week that was to May 28TLDR: This week the Reserve Bank warned of a rise in mortgage rates to 6% and a peak-to-trough fall in house prices of 15%, but said the economy and homeowners could handle it without forcing the economy into recession. It also rejected Opposition claims that Labour’s fiscal policy and employment mandate had forced the Reserve Bank’s faster move to higher interest rates.Elsewhere, China launched an aggressive push for much deeper trade and security deals in the Pacific to add to the one it already has with the Solomon Islands. In response, the United States opened a new...2022-05-271h 04
The HoonThe hoon about the week that wasTLDR: The Kākā’s hoon about the week that was in the podcast above included Peter Bale and me talking with special guest Professor Robert Patman about the latest geo-political and economic fallout from Russia’s war on Ukraine, along with closer looks at Budget 2022 on Thursday, the week’s crypto-crash and double-digit house price deflation.This is our weekly sampler email for both free and paid subscribers.A reminder to free subscribers reading here that we have a special $30 a year deal for under 30s and that students and teachers should sign up for the...2022-05-1557 minThe Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe hoon about the week that wasTLDR: The Kākā’s hoon about the week that was in the podcast above included Peter Bale and me talking with special guest Professor Robert Patman about the latest geo-political and economic fallout from Russia’s war on Ukraine, along with closer looks at Budget 2022 on Thursday, the week’s crypto-crash and double-digit house price deflation.This is our weekly sampler email for both free and paid subscribers.A reminder to free subscribers reading here that we have a special $30 a year deal for under 30s and that students and teachers should sign up for the...2022-05-1557 min
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week that was for the week's endTLDR & TLDL: This week anti-mandate protests around Parliament dug in for the long haul, Russia manoeuvered to invade Ukraine, the Government prepared to loosen new restrictions on mortgage lending as house prices fell for a second month, the nation moved to ‘phase II’ of its omicron plan and Aotearoa-NZ is a week away from reopening its border — a bit.In the podcast above of our weekly live ‘hoon’ (the plural for Kākā) webinar with over 100 paid subscribers, I talked with Peter Bale and special guest Professor Robert Patman of Otago University about:* the growing protests aro...2022-02-181h 02
Humanities LecturesCTPI: Public Square, Asset Sales, February 2012'If you were Prime Minister, would you sell New Zealand's assets?', February 2012. A public forum in which expert witnesses present their views on the issue to an equally-informed and distinguished panel. Witnesses: Dr Geoff Bertram; Gillain Bremner; Stuart McLauchlan; Professor Robert Patman. Panel: Jacqui Dean, MP; Professor Paul Hansen; Hon. Peter Hodgson; Chris Trotter; Metiria Turei, MP.2012-03-2100 minHumanities LecturesCTPI: Public Square, Asset Sales, February 2012'If you were Prime Minister, would you sell New Zealand's assets?', February 2012. A public forum in which expert witnesses present their views on the issue to an equally-informed and distinguished panel. Witnesses: Dr Geoff Bertram; Gillain Bremner; Stuart McLauchlan; Professor Robert Patman. Panel: Jacqui Dean, MP; Professor Paul Hansen; Hon. Peter Hodgson; Chris Trotter; Metiria Turei, MP.2012-03-2100 min