Housing emergency grants plummet in Auckland

Grants fall from 2,388 in June 2023 to 198 in June this year. Leaked data shows Hospital ED treatment times falling well below Govt targets; Labour more trusted on cost of living than National

Briefly in my Picks ‘n Mixes of news from our political economy this morning:

• The number of emergency housing grants by MSD in Auckland has plummeted from 2,388 in June 2023 to 198 in June this year, and is now less than the number of declined applications, which was 276. There were 36 declined applications in June 2023. NZ Herald

• A new opinion poll has found Labour is more trusted by voters than National on the cost of living and inflation, and is almost as trusted on the economy. Ipsos NZ

• New Zealand’s 23 hospitals processed between 69-71% of patients within six hours over several days in August, well short of the Government’s 74% target for 2024/25 and the 77% target for the current 2025/26 year, data leaked to Labour shows. NZ Herald

• Finance Minister Nicola Willis says he would have sacked RBNZ Chair Neil Quigley if he hadn’t resigned first on Friday night over irregularities in the way he informed the public about the resignation of Governor Adrian Orr. RNZ

(Full paying subscribers to The Kākā can see my full Picks n’ Mixes below the paywall fold).

My Pick n’ Mix Six for Monday, September 1