Briefly in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, January 30:
The Lead: Two opinion polls taken in the last two weeks show a surge in support for New Zealand First to record-highs as leader Winston Peters and deputy Shane Jones ramped up their opposition to ‘unfettered immigration’ barely nine months out from the election. Paying subscribers can see more detail below the paywall fold and hear more analysis in the podcast above.
The Sidebar: The Foreign Minister has taken an unusual and prominent stand against his own Government’s trade agreement with India, while Jones is using his Fisheries Minister position to argue ‘unfettered migration’ has played a role in high profile cases of ‘bucket people’ stripping Auckland rockpools of shellfish.
News elsewhere: Westpac raised its longer-term fixed mortgage rates1, emphasizing the risks for the Government that inflation it helped generate is frustrating its hopes of low-interest rate economic recovery will help it win re-election on November 7.
Chart Pack of the Day: ANZ’s Business Outlook survey for January found a partial reversal in December’s strong business activity outlook, along with another rise in inflationary indicators that could accelerate rate hikes.
Scoop of the Day: The FT-$ reported overnight that Trump administration officials have held meetings with separatists from Alberta wanting to secede their state from Canada and wanting funding from the US to do it.
Today’s Deep-dive of the Day is from Kirsty Johnson for RNZ asking: Are we stuck in a ‘crisis and response’ pattern?
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