TL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that I wrote and spoke about via The Kākā for paying subscribers in the last week included:
The revelation that 480 families are living in cars. Friday’s email
Detail emerged about the thousands of low-skilled temporary workers given high-skilled work visas under the new ‘reset’ immigration policy. Thursday’s email
Both National and Labour released performative and gimmicky policies on crime and KiwiSaver that leave the core crises of housing, climate and poverty unaddressed. Tuesday’s email.
The Government decided during the Budget process against providing more cash help for poorer families because it preferred a lower deficit, lower debt and lower interest rates. Monday’s email.
Temperatures soared to record highs day after day all around the world, raising fears the climate has already started triggering tipping points that cascade together into runaway warming. This Hoon.
What we talked about on ‘The Hoon’ on Friday night
In this week’s podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers at 5pm on Friday night:
5.00 pm - 5.05 pm - Bernard and Peter Bale opened the show with a summary of the news domestically and internationally, including the latest on the politics of crime and the introduction The Kākā’s new correspondent Cathrine Dyer.
5.05 pm - 5.15 pm - A discussion on the latest extraordinary events with the climate with Cathrine Dyer.
5.15 pm - 5.30 pm - University of Otago ProfessorRobert Patman
on the missing Chinese foreign minister, Russia pulling out of its deal to allow safe passage of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, and the upcoming visits to Aotearoa by Anthony Albanese and Anthony Blinken.
5.50 - 6pm - Bernard and Peter wrap the show with more of a discussion about solutions journalism.
The Hoon’s podcast version above was produced by Simon Josey.
This is a sampler for all free subscribers. Thanks to the support of paying subscribers here, I’m able to spread the work from my public interest journalism here about housing affordability, climate change and poverty reduction around in other public venues. I’d love you to join the community supporting and contributing to this work with your ideas, feedback and comments.
Other places I’ve appeared this week
My podcast for The Spinoff this week
Te Ao Māori’s big capital challenge and opportunity - I talked with Kiwibank’s Head of Māori advisory Teaho Pihama in this week’s When The Facts Change via The Spinoff about how Te Ao Māori can build all its capitals in an economy powered by mortgages secured against freehold land that are owned by individuals, when Te ao Māori views whenua is a totally different way.
Ka kite ano
My apologies for lateness this week. Was travelling this weekend.
The Hoon around the week to July 23