Briefly in the news in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Saturday, March 7:
PM Christopher Luxon refused to resign yesterday after a Taxpayers Union-Curia poll showed National headed for its worst result since the 2020 election1.
Oil rose over $90/bbl overnight after Qatar and Kuwait said restarting exports could take months2, while US jobs fell an unexpected 92,000 last month3.
US President Donald Trump this morning demanded an ‘unconditional surrender’ from Iran4.
Petrol prices rose over $3/litre5 in some parts of New Zealand yesterday, while truckers warned of freight cost hikes after diesel prices rose by 44c/litre yesterday, the largest increase since 20086.
Christchurch Hospital has started rationing dialysis to two sessions per week from three because of a Government-imposed sinking lid on spending to ensure Crown spending to GDP gets down below 30%, 1News reported last night7.
Pak n’ Save, which is New Zealand’s largest retailer of butter and exists within a country producing enough dairy products to feed 40 million people, has started importing US butter to get better prices. Paying subscribers can see more below the paywall fold & hear more in the podcast above.
