Entitled or unethical? Big business and the wage subsidy

Entitled or unethical? Big business and the wage subsidy
Rebecca Stevenson
It was designed to pump billions into the hands of business owners; and it did.The wage subsidy scheme, through its several iterations, pushed cash quickly to small business owners who make up the bulk of New Zealand’s employers, and equally to large companies and many listed on the NZX top 50 index.It is the large and listed that have caused some concern. Recently, retailer Briscoes announced it would increase the dividend it will pay shareholders after accessing about $11.5 million in taxpayer-backed funding, and reported a first-half n...

More Economy

Business gloom offers inflation hope
Economy

Business gloom offers inflation hope

The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research’s (NZIER) Quarterly Survey of Business Opinion shows a continued deterioration in business confidence in the second quarter.A net 35% of firms expected a deterioration in the general economic outlook over the coming months on a seaso...

Staff reporters 02 Jul 2024
Independent costings needed for tough political decisions
Economy

Independent costings needed for tough political decisions

The time is now for an Independent Fiscal Institution.

Cameron Bagrie 01 Jul 2024
Brave-faced craft chocolate industry finds strength in unity
Retail

Brave-faced craft chocolate industry finds strength in unity

More than 30 boutique chocolate companies raised the bar at Chocstock.

Gregor Thompson 01 Jul 2024