Garrick Tremain: At the Dental Convention

Jacinda and Willy, topic of the day at the Dental Convention

Dr Dennis Wesselbaum: Economics in the New Zealand media: a requiem

The media has largely ignored economics in the last couple of years. The return of inflation, however, has brought economic topics back into people’s minds and into media coverage.

The discussions surrounding the Budget were a low point in the reporting on economics, in my opinion. You might think that experts on, say, fiscal policy would be included in these Budget discussions. However, the Newshub “expert” panel consisted of a journalist (Dita de Boni), a sociologist (Dr. Ella Henry), and an economist (Shamubeel Eaqub), who quickly disqualified himself from being considered an expert.

In response to David Seymour’s comment that government spending drives inflation, Eaqub called Seymour “economically illiterate.” However, among serious economists, there is no disagreement that government spending is a key driver of inflation. In fact, it is what students of economics learn in their first year.

Bryce Wilkinson: An update on the odds on a serious recession

We explained in our November research report "Walking the Path to the Next Global Financial Crisis" why concerns about prolonged economic stagnation, or even serious recessions, should be taken seriously.

During the 2008-2010 global financial crisis, governments' responses had turned a banking crisis into a public debt crisis. In response to Covid-19, governments doubled down on their debt, and central banks took unprecedented steps to lower interest rates and create money.

Many governments are in debt traps. Raising interest rates would make their debt problems even worse, but not doing so would fuel inflation.

Mike Hosking: The Queen is a brilliant symbol of dedication and loyalty

I love the Queen. She might be the greatest representative of most of our lifetimes in terms of dedication, consistency, and loyalty.

She has, whether you are a republican or a monarchist, shown a set of moral and professional credentials that are sadly too scarce these days.

Her life has been dedicated to service. She had no choice; she was born into it.

The celebrations this week to mark the 70th are an indication of a couple of things.

Firstly, we will not see her like again. 70 years is a trick of fate. You need to get to the throne awfully young and live awfully long to mark 70 years. Charles won't, William won't, and Lord knows what happens to the monarchy after that.

Clive Bibby: Architects of Peace

I can’t imagine that the future teaching of history - either in this country’s primary and secondary schools or at higher levels in our universities- will include any mention of the name, Prince Klemens von Metternich - arguably the greatest statesman of the 19th century who was personally responsible for a world without wars that lasted for 100 years.

During my time attending  the state institutions for learning, history was one of the few subjects that appealed to me as a topic that provided the answers to questions about our own survival as a species. It still does but tragically the history books of yesteryear seem to be absent from or not used in modern classrooms. This act of vandalism is part of a modern trend that we will regret, especially when it is replaced with deliberate indoctrination of alternative theory rather than facts.

Kate Hawkesby: Air NZ and Auckland Airport are not up to scratch

 

My brother travels a lot, both for work and to visit family – my nephew's studying in the US. So he’s made about three trips during the pandemic, done MIQ twice, and since MIQ was dropped he’s made about three more trips, he left again on another one yesterday. Given I’m not flying anywhere I always appreciate the update on his experiences. 

Yesterday, he sends me a text from the airport, he’s mad. Mad because all the stuff he’s moaned about on all his previous trips are still not fixed or addressed, in fact he reckons it’s the worst it’s ever been. How’s that possible? Given we keep hearing from Auckland airport that they’re stepping up their game, given we keep hearing from Air NZ that they’re looking to streamline services, given we keep hearing from the Government that they want to make it smoother for people to travel. Newsflash – it’s still not any of those things. 

Point of Order: Ministers bray about the millions being dispensed for housing (subject to ethnicity) and cultural venues

While the Minister of Housing and her Māori Housing associate were dispensing favours as part of a race-focussed housing initiative for which they are responsible, Kiri Allan was inviting appropriately cultured oinkers to a trough replenished with $13 million of slops.

She described it as a contestable fund, which means there will be some jostling for a share of the goodies, but first in will not necessarily be served.

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Priyanca Radhakrishnan was of a charitable disposition, too. She announced that following a comprehensive review of the Charities Act, the Government is moving ahead with changes to modernise the legislation that will increase transparency for the public, improve access to justice services and reduce the burden on smaller charities.

Bryce Edwards: Jacinda Ardern’s “critical” trip a success

It came at a “critical moment” according to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, referring to her meeting yesterday with US President Joe Biden. She was talking about the need for New Zealand and its superpower ally to have dialogue in the midst of their panic over China’s increasing diplomatic presence in the Pacific region.

In fact, Ardern’s whole US trip came at a “critical moment” for her own government. She desperately needed a decent good news story, given that things have gone so badly for Labour in recent months. Ardern will be hoping that the trip resets the public’s increasingly unfavourable view of her leadership and the competence of her colleagues. She will also be hoping that it illustrates that Labour are dealing with the China-Pacific issue, given that Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has been missing in action.

Bob Brockie - RIP Democracy

 Nanaia Mahuta buries New Zealand's democracy.

Heather du Plessis-Allan: I suspect we might come to regret the changes that are about to be made to Pharmac

I suspect we might come to regret the changes that are about to be made to Pharmac.

As a result of the review of Pharmac out today, the Government is about to change something quite fundamental about Pharmac.

Up till now, Pharmac has tried to get the best health outcomes from available funding which essentially means trying to help as many Kiwis as possible with the limited money it has.

So, let’s say it had $100 to spend on cancer treatment. Up till now what it would do is buy cancer drugs for let’s say 100 of us.

But now, its criteria is being changed.

Wendy Geus: Attack Ad Puts Ball in Luxon’s Court

The preoccupied media largely ignored National’s conference in Hamilton at the weekend. Not to worry, Grant Robertson to the rescue, putting the spotlight firmly back on Luxon on the eve of Ardern’s White House visit, with his revealing attack ad on National.

Robertson spent an inordinate amount of time in an interview on morning TV this week trying to defend his move, and inadvertently reinforcing Luxon’s phrase the ‘cost of living crisis’ which he originally denied but now seems to have embraced with fervour and a frowny face.

Leave it to Grant to put National front and centre with their very apt line ‘cost of living crisis’. Luxon sets the agenda and the Government takes the bait.

Mike Hosking: Plenty of questions for Adrian Orr

What I like about Don Brash entering the cost-of-living debate is he comes with knowledge, experience and he tells a different story to Adrian Orr.

We have two Reserve Bank Governors with different stories, so who is right?

If Brash turns out to be more accurate in the long run, you can quite justifiably ask a couple of solid questions of Orr. Was he up for the job? Why couldn't he see what others did? And in defending his approach which he currently is, how political has he become?

Having him on the show last week was a revelation of sorts. He was painting a picture, which to my eye, simply isn't true or real.

Don Brash: House prices falling at last?

In recent weeks, more and more commentators are suggesting that house prices in New Zealand have started to fall, and are expected to fall further.

For many homeowners, especially those who have bought within the last year or two, this news will be terrifying, and for them I have a great deal of sympathy. They were sold the lie that house prices would always and everywhere rise much faster than incomes, and that therefore the best way to financial independence was to borrow to the maximum extent possible and buy a house – better still, several houses, the more the better.

The lie was aggressively promoted by the mainstream media, with constant references to the importance of “getting on the property ladder”, the implication being that once on “the ladder”, you would be carried onward and upward indefinitely.

Point of Order: Oh dear – it’s “a disgrace” to look into posts filled by Mahuta family members (which might explain why ACT questions are ignored)

The public are being served heaps of news items about a fellow called Kamahl Santamaria, who was hired by TVNZ as breakfast host but has departed under a cloud.

In contrast, Point of Order has found just one mainstream media report (in the New Zealand Herald) which raises questions about the management of contracts awarded to Mahuta family members.

It was headed Government contracts to husband and family of Minister Nanaia Mahuta ‘managed for conflict’.

Fair to say, Waatea News has shown an interest in this issue, too, although it was headed Mahuta attack fails to prove link.

NZCPR Newsletter: The Danger of Co-Governance

In 2006, the former US President Barack Obama, then a Senator, used a speech at the University of Nairobi to rail against tribalism:

“Ethnic-based tribal politics has to stop. It is rooted in the bankrupt idea that the goal of politics or business is to funnel as much of the pie as possible to one’s family, tribe, or circle with little regard for the public good. It stifles innovation and fractures the fabric of the society. Instead of opening businesses and engaging in commerce, people come to rely on patronage and payback as a means of advancing. Instead of unifying the country to move forward on solving problems, it divides neighbour from neighbour.”

With on-going stories of corrupt tribal leaders living in palaces with taps of gold while ‘their people’ suffer in slums epitomising the excesses of tribalism, New Zealanders from all sides of the political spectrum have been horrified to find Jacinda Ardern – under the guise of implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – is forcing tribal rule onto our country.

Denis Hall: Did you watch TV One News tonight?

My name is Denis Hall. I was born in New Zealand almost 81 years ago to European parents - also both born here - as were their parents and grandparents before them. We were pioneers.

On the day I was born my father was training to serve in the Army for this country in World War Two - and as a result of that Hitler decided it was an auspicious day to invade Russia.

Oh - and my mother tongue happens to be ENGLISH - with a touch of French and Irish back in the day.

If I were to consider learning another language - it would be French - or Chinese. I can already speak Irish - especially if I’m in an Irish mood.

I must be a cunning linguist.

I would like to learn French because I love the sound of it - and would love to be able to speak it - and know how to speak through my nose just like the French do ….. Oh bugger - is that racist to say that?

Richard Prebble: The danger of Prime Ministerial travel

Prime Ministerial international travel is necessary, addictive and dangerous.

It is necessary for New Zealand Prime Ministers to travel. The US President is never going to meet our foreign minister. An interview on the Tonight Show is worth more than tourism’s total budget.

Prime Ministerial travel is addictive because it’s a heady experience. The PM is suddenly free from 24/7 scrutiny. The Opposition rarely criticizes a Prime Ministerial trip. Journalists who accompany the trip are totally reliant on the PM for their stories. The foreign press knows zip about New Zealand. When Auckland is experiencing nightly drive by shootings the Prime Minister can leave the impression that her government has solved the problem of gun violence.

Mike Hosking: Labour's attack ads show they're worried about the polls

The Labour Government is in a spot.

They have released an attack ad aimed at National.

In it is a photo of Chris Luxon and line he used at a speech that says the "cost of living crisis, that’s how we will win this election."

That obviously hit a nerve with Labour, because running ads at this point in the political cycle is a bit wasteful. But Grant Robertson, who authorised the ads, has done a couple of things wrong.

Don Brash: Who is really responsible for getting inflation under control?

Liam Dann (Herald on Sunday, 29 May 2022) seems very keen to absolve the Government of any responsibility for the pain which a great many people are going to endure as the Reserve Bank grapples with getting inflation back under control.

In the opening line of his editorial, under the heading “Why slashing govt spending right now would be a bad idea”, he argues that “it’s important New Zealand gets through this tough economic cycle without panicking and reaching for brutal, unnecessary and ineffective policies of fiscal austerity”.

Of course, we all hope that inflation will be reduced from its present level “without brutal, unnecessary and ineffective policies”, but as he recognises further on in his column “we have to deal with excess demand in the local economy”. The Reserve Bank has, by law, the primary responsibility for achieving that in order to return the inflation rate to the target which Government has established.

Chris Trotter: Nanaia Mahuta’s Super-Narrative.

Whether Nanaia Mahuta followed the conflict-of-interest rules set out in The Cabinet Manual hardly matters. A dangerous political narrative is forming around the appointment of, and awarding of contracts to, Mahuta’s whanau in circumstances that, at the very least, raise serious questions about this Government’s political judgement. Enlarging this narrative is the growing public perception that the mainstream news media is refusing to cover a story that would, in other circumstances, have attracted intense journalistic interest. The conflation of these two, highly damaging narratives with a third – the even more negative narrative of “co-governance” – has left the Labour Government in an extremely exposed and vulnerable position.

The Government’s failure to adequately prepare the New Zealand public for what Labour clearly regards as the inevitability of co-governance hasn’t helped. The party did not campaign on the issue, and kept He Puapua, the controversial “road-map” to full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – i.e. co-governance – by 2040, under wraps. Similarly unheralded was the Government’s determination to establish a separate Māori Health Authority. And the application of co-governance principles to Mahuta’s deeply unpopular “Three Waters” project has done nothing to allay public fears that the country is being changed, in fundamental ways, without the electorate’s consent.