Hipkins not budging on migrant workers

Hipkins not budging on migrant workers
Brent Melville
A Labour-led government will continue to take a conservative approach to allowing migrant seasonal workers back through the borders, despite looming labour shortages ahead of the country’s fruit and wine harvests, health and education Minister Chris Hipkins said.Speaking at a pre-election conference hosted by BusinessNZ, Hipkins said while the current government had made good progress in opening up safe travel with covid-free countries – including realm countries in the Pacific – the recent outbreak in Auckland slowed that pro...

More Election 2020

Did Ardern just hand the election to Luxon?
Opinion

Pattrick Smellie: Did Ardern just hand the election to Luxon?

It's hard to see how Jacinda Ardern hasn't just handed National an unobstructed 2023 election win.

Pattrick Smellie 19 Jan 2023
Holding your nerve: a guide to 2023
Economy

Pattrick Smellie: Holding your nerve: a guide to 2023

Coping with covid required stoic compliance. Coping with inflation and a recession will require different attributes: mainly nerves of steel.

Pattrick Smellie 20 Dec 2022
Government to force Big Tech to pay for news
Law & Regulation

Government to force Big Tech to pay for news

News media lobbying has convinced the government to introduce a mandatory negotiation process for big tech platforms to pay for news.

Daniel Dunkley 04 Dec 2022
GAVIN EVANS: Climate change: announcements or action?
Election 2020 Best of BusinessDesk

GAVIN EVANS: Climate change: announcements or action?

The closure of the Marsden Point oil refinery may show whether NZ is genuinely interested in reducing emissions - or just exporting them.

Gavin Evans 24 Dec 2020