Business of Government: productivity's slowdown, Lester Levy's fourth coming, and more...

Productivity growth has slowed to a snail's pace. (Image: Getty)

Wed, 05 Jun 2024

The great productivity slowdownEconomic growth was name-checked five times in finance minister Nicola Willis’ maiden Budget speech, but productivity was only mentioned twice in its 13 pages.Treasury’s document, the Budget Economic and Fiscal and Update (Befu), mentions it 50 times in its first 50 pages, underscoring not only its importance but also how much the government’s lead economic adviser is worried about the current productivity slowdown that has beset New Zealand and the rest of the world.Shortly before Budget day, Tr...

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