Brownlee Looks For Export Improvement
March 26th, 2009
When it was in Opposition National was critical of the previous Govt’s failure to lift NZ’s export performance (export volumes have barely increased over …
Archive for March, 2009
Govt’s Popularity Carries Risk
March 26th, 2009
Riding a wave of unprecedented popularity the Govt is succeeding in maintaining a level of confidence the country can navigate the current downturn safely …
NZ Gets Back On The Obama Administration’s Radar
March 26th, 2009
Murray McCully, already acquiring a formidable reputation as a skilled operator in the foreign affair portfolio (he has succeeded with his recent visits to …
Crown Entities Ordered To Measure Up
March 19th, 2009
State Services Minister Tony Ryall called in the chairs of Crown entities this week to give them the Govt’s now standard message it expects …
State Highway Funding Up 50%
March 19th, 2009
In the programme Transport Minister Steven Joyce laid out this week, he was spelling out the size of the funding pipeline for land transport …
Joyce Proving Himself A Cabinet Heavyweight
March 19th, 2009
Steven Joyce is proving one of John Key’s Cabinet heavyweights, though he went into Parliament and into Cabinet without any previous political experience. He’s …
Big Cut In Kyoto Liability On The Cards
March 12th, 2009
A looming update on NZ’s net greenhouse gas emissions may show a very big cut in NZ’s Kyoto liability. Senior Govt sources say the …
Balance Of Payments Deficit Exposes NZ’s Vulnerability
March 12th, 2009
“Port Hit by Import Slump” should be a headline to please Finance Minister Bill English. It should signal a rapid improvement in NZ’s balance …
Key’s Pragmatism Leaves Opponents Struggling For Traction
March 12th, 2009
John Key has started delivering on ideas out of the Jobs Summit. This week Cabinet approved the nine-day fortnight concept in return for a …
Hide Looks For Rates Gains
March 5th, 2009
Rodney Hide has been telling people he’s the Minister for Ratepayers rather than the Minister of Local Govt. He wants to keep rates down, …
Economic Debate – Tax… To Cut Or Not?
March 5th, 2009
The fate of tax cuts promised by National will be a political decision. Even if economic considerations alone determined the outcome, however, there should …
Plugging Holes In Defence Capabilities
March 5th, 2009
Defence Minister Wayne Mapp is expected to finalise terms of reference for the Defence White Paper when he meets military chiefs, with his Associate …
Duncan Cotterill