Dr Oliver Hartwich: Return of the rock star

Ever since HSBC’s Paul Bloxham first called New Zealand a “rock star economy” back in 2014, I have been wondering what he had meant.

It was not entirely clear, even back then when the economy was doing a lot better. But then again, ‘rock star’ is not a well-defined vocation.

Andrew Dickens: Andrew Dickens: Can we really say the rock star economy is back?

The corner has been turned. The 5-year pandemic pandemonium has been tamed.

Inflation is down and we've had the first interest rate cut since the Reserve Bank realised they’d overstimulated everything 5 years ago.

Proof that tax cuts were not inflationary, says the Finance Minister. And that is the case, but it’s not a sign that the cost of living crisis is over. Inflation and cost of living increases are two heads of the same monster.