Making public servants return to the office is no panacea

Making public servants return to the office is no panacea
Wellington City's economic woes stem from a lot more than the working-from-home trend. (Image: Getty)
Cameron Bagrie
Will more active encouragement of public servants to return to the office, or fewer central government layoffs (which are being driven by demands for savings), turn the dial on the Wellington economy? It may help at the margin but it’s no panacea. Wellington underperforms under a blue government and does better under a red one. Being hooked into the political cycle is a flawed economic model that offers no substance.Wellingtonians are well paid compared to the national average and other regions. Median household income figures from S...

More Economy

Banks revise economic outlooks for Q2 GDP contraction
Finance

Banks revise economic outlooks for Q2 GDP contraction

Economists now see NZ's GDP contracting in Q2, but doubt a technical recession in Q3.

Adrian Orr’s first commercial post-RBNZ gig revealed
Economy

Adrian Orr’s first commercial post-RBNZ gig revealed

Orr backs the Māori economy in his first executive gig since quitting.

Pattrick Smellie 12 Sep 2025
Retail card spending climbs for third month
Retail

Retail card spending climbs for third month

The total amount spent using electronic cards was $9.3 billion.

Chido Machingura 12 Sep 2025
Receivers hunt for missing cars amid $5.7m company collapse
Economy

Receivers hunt for missing cars amid $5.7m company collapse

The cars were moved to Takanini and Manurewa before the insolvencies.

Gregor Thompson 12 Sep 2025