Politics
Economy
Finance Minister quashes idea of RBNZ buying bonds directly from government
Markets have been abuzz with the possibility the Reserve Bank could buy bonds directly from the government but Finance Minister Grant Robertson has poured cold water on the idea – at least for now. “We’re getting well ahead of ourselves talking about that,” he told journalists...
Economy
Jobseeker claims jump to 5.8% of labour force
About 30,000 people have claimed the jobseeker benefit in the past five weeks, amounting to 5.8 percent of the labour force, in an election year where rising unemployment is set to become a political football. While not a perfect measure of the actual rate of unemployment – wh...
Economy
‘Helicopter money’ among options in budget mix
Finance Minister Grant Robertson and his associates are considering whether to spray money out to the public to help tide them through the covid-19 crisis and looming recession. Robertson told the Mike Hosking Breakfast show on NewstalkZB that helicopter money – where money is...
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Retail
Free
Ministers hint at cashflow grants in Budget for SMEs
Ministers are considering cashflow replacement grants for small and medium-sized businesses hard-hit by the lockdown required to beat the covid-19 virus.
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Pattrick Smellie
Founding Editor
Pattrick was judged New Zealand's best overall columnist and business columnist of the year at the Voyager 2021 Media Awards. He has more than 35 years’ experience reporting and working in New Zealand politics and the commercial sector. A former Press Gallery chairman, he is an award-winning journalist and has worked for titles including The Dominion, The Press, Sunday Star-Times and National Business Review. He was the first NZ correspondent for The Australian and co-founded BusinessDesk in 2008.
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