The week that was for the week's end

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

The week that was for the week's end

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The week that was for the week's end

In which I take a hoon around our political economy with Stuff Political Editor Luke Malpass, including chats on the lockdown, the RBNZ's last-minute pivot to holding the OCR & the Govt's fiscal plans

Aug 20, 2021

TLDR & TLDL: In this week’s ‘hoon’ (the plural of Kākā) around the political economy, I have a chat with Stuff Political Editor Luke Malpass, including the snap lockdown, the RBNZ's last-minute pivot to holding the OCR and the Govt's fiscal plans.

We talk quite a lot about differences between the lockdowns in News South Wales and New Zealand, the politics of lockdowns and the monetary and fiscal policy responses to the delta outbreak.

Our conversation was recorded just before midday today, so doesn’t include the latest from the 3pm news conference on the delta outbreak.

Stuff Political Editor Luke Malpass. He previously worked as the Australian Financial Review’s economics leader writer.

And here’s the highlights of the week on The Kākā in reverse order.

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

Dawn Chorus: RBNZ warns of house price falls...eventually

Listen now (21 min) | TLDL & TLDR: The Reserve Bank went out of its way yesterday, as it held the OCR at 0.25%, to warn buyers that the housing market ‘appears to be above its sustainable level,’ but it did not go as far as forecasting a massive return to reality. It actually sees house prices 5% higher in three years than it does now, albeit falling towards the end of that …

4 years ago · 1 like · 2 comments · Bernard Hickey

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

Dawn Chorus: The disappearing rate hikes

Listen now (11 min) | TLDR & TLDL: Well…that escalated. We’re all now in level four lockdown for at least three days after the discovery of a single Covid-19 case in Auckland was announced yesterday afternoon. Four more cases in Auckland were disclosed this morning by the Prime Minister, including one hospital worker. Auckland’s lockdown is scheduled for seven days, but now …

4 years ago · 5 likes · 2 comments · Bernard Hickey

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

Dawn Chorus: Our perfect cage

Listen now (14 min) | TLDR & TLDL: Last week’s ‘Reconnecting to the world’ announcements of an even harder pivot to elimination and signs the delta variant is hitting the young hard overseas poses some tough questions about when and how we can reopen Fortress NZ. Currently, the plan is to start cautiously easing MIQ restrictions once every adult has had a chance to vaccinate…

4 years ago · 1 like · 3 comments · Bernard Hickey

The Kākā by Bernard Hickey

Dawn Chorus: Starting the rate hikes

Listen now (7 min) | TLDR: This Wednesday everyone is expecting the Reserve Bank to start hiking rates all the way up to 1.5-2.0% by the end of next year, although the global economic environment is being buffeted by the delta strains and our own elimination strategy looks to have locked down Fortress NZ until well into next year…

4 years ago · 3 likes · 2 comments · Bernard Hickey

Some longer reads and listens for the weekend

Dominic Sandbrook @dcsandbrook

Morning. On today’s @TheRestHistory, the great @DalrympleWill returns to the show to explore the spectacularly colourful, bloody and tragic story of the FIRST AFGHAN WAR of 1839-42 - and its lessons ... play.acast.com/s/the-rest-is-… open.spotify.com/episode/6eXvbT… podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/87-…

Nicola Harvey @NicolaHarvey

Well, this is a sobering read.

nytimes.comAttack of the SuperweedsAudio Recording by Audm

Lennart Nout @lennartnout

Possibly the most ridiculous yet consequential planning regulation in the world? Aucklands view shafts. "people need to see the top of a random mountain from the non-existent motorway toll booth" Economic costs? Billions.

Timmy @gallicist

Viewing Auckland's Volcanic Viewshafts in Google Earth. Purple one here is 'E10': the view of Maungawhau from the former toll booth area at the harbour bridge. https://t.co/oHju6eCj46

Some fun things

Stephanie Hirst @StephanieHirst

Truly saddened at the passing of the brilliant Sean Lock. His brilliance will be sorely missed. The amount of times I’ve almost wet myself laughing at him is countless. Sleep well Sean. I genuinely couldn’t stop laughing for days at this.

Ben Collins @oneunderscore__

Sean Lock died today. He is responsible for maybe the funniest four minutes on the internet: Carrot in a Box. You should really watch it.

youtu.be“Carrot in a Box” Jimmy Carr IN TEARS After Game with Sean Lock & Jon Richardson! | 8 Out of 10 CatsSubscribe to E4 for more: https://bit.ly/2OUhyfNWatch the FULL episode on All 4: https://bit.ly/2oNpwezJimmy Carr hosts a hilarious game of ‘Carrot in a Box’...

The Onion @TheOnion

New Zealand Enters Lockdown After Single Covid Case Discovered #WhatDoYouThink? bit.ly/37ULovg

Discussion about this episode

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