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Housing Debt Hits Record Levels As Speculative Contagion Spreads

Geoff SimmonsOctober 6, 2016Economics

Auckland’s speculative housing bubble might be cooling in the wake of the Reserve Bank’s new loan to value ratios, but there is little to suggest that our days of housing speculation are over. The pause in Auckland may only be … Read More

Mayoral candidates asleep at wheel on junk food problem

Gareth MorganOctober 5, 2016Food

We know that our food environment has a massive impact on what we eat. One of the most effective ways of improving diets is to limit access to junk food, or making healthy food choices the easy ones. However despite … Read More

Would you like a hand with a poverty target Prime Minister?

Jess Berentson-ShawOctober 4, 2016Tax and Welfare

Our Prime Minster says that it is too complicated to set a target to reduce child poverty. Apparently there are too many measures, and he has received advice from officials telling him to put this one in the too hard … Read More

Geoff Simmons legalising cannabis in New Zealand

Geoffonomics: Whatever happened to Think Big and Rogernomics?

Gareth MorganOctober 2, 2016Economics

Every fortnight Geoff Simmons talks with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ’s Afternoons programme about a variety of economic issues This week they cover the Whatever happened to Think Big and Rogernomics? www.rnz.co.nz/jesse #geoffonomics Once one of the richest nations in the world, … Read More

Three Ways the RMA Fails to Protect the Environment

Geoff SimmonsSeptember 30, 2016Environment

We often hear about the impact of the Resource Management Act (RMA) on the economy, but what about its impact on the environment? A new report from the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) answers this question, and the results aren’t pretty. … Read More

The Unitary Plan Improves Choice

Geoff SimmonsSeptember 29, 2016Property

The inevitable has happened; the NIMBYs (not in my backyarders) opposing the Unitary Plan have turned to legal redress to prevent change. The likes of the Character Coalition claim that the Unitary Plan process “trampled on people’s rights”, but this … Read More

Nigel Latta Only Tells Half the Story on the Economy

Geoff SimmonsSeptember 28, 2016Economics

Last night Nigel Latta tackled the long-standing issue of the struggling New Zealand economy. For decades the country has been focused on working harder and producing more stuff rather than working smarter and making better stuff. We’ve been a big … Read More

Local Democracy is broken, but whose fault is it?

Geoff SimmonsSeptember 27, 2016Politics

Local democracy is failing to deliver in many parts of the country, which in some extreme cases (Canterbury) has led to the removal of their powers. In Auckland a similar threat hung over the Council if they didn’t pass the … Read More

Could Wellington be the World’s First Predator Free Capital City?

Gareth MorganSeptember 26, 2016Environment

Today the NEXT Foundation, Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council announce a partnership with the ambitious aim of making Wellington the first predator free capital city in the world. If this can be achieved the city will truly … Read More

Whiteboard Friday: To Dam or not to Dam?

Gareth MorganSeptember 23, 2016Environment

Whether irrigation schemes stack up economically usually depends on what you think will happen to the milk price. This Whiteboard Friday looks at the example of the Wairarapa Whiteboard Friday: To Dam or not to Dam? was last modified: September … Read More