Mōrena. Long stories short; here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty for the week to Saturday, August 24:
Christopher Luxon accused councils of wasting money on a “laundry-list of distractions and experiments” and to “rein in the fantasies and to get back to delivering the basics brilliantly,” which shocked councillors and mayors who had expected Luxon to offer city deals to work with councils to build infrastructure and ‘go for housing growth.’
The Human Rights Commission reported our biggest temporary work visa scheme enabled systemic migrant exploitation, potential human trafficking and exhibited signs of modern slavery.
In solutions news, the Tax Justice Network proposed a ‘featherlight’ tax on the wealthiest 0.5% that would raise over $8 billin if applied here.
In the quote of the week, Tuku Morgan accused Christopher Luxon of taking a wrecking ball to 50 years of Crown-Iwi relation.
In the chart of the week, the retail sales recession extended to be worse than after the Global Financial Crisis.
In our climate graphic of the week, the NOAA found the planet had its worst droughts on record in 2023.
(There is more detail and analysis below the paywall fold and in the podcast above for paying subscribers.)
The Top Six for the week to August 24
1. Lecturing your partners before asking for their help
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