The age of eligibility to receive New Zealand Superannuation is again being challenged. The usual reason given for raising the age of eligibility is affordability… Read More »Is New Zealand Superannuation affordable?
With the Transpacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) in its death throes, it is time to think about what a good alternative – and what people-friendly globalisation… Read More »Could we have a people-friendly globalisation?
Looking ahead for the year is always educated guesswork, but this year it is more guesswork than educated. That’s because of some very big unknowns:… Read More »The year ahead – more guesswork than usual
We most often think about inequality in terms of income or wealth, but what if some people also experience the cost of living differently? What… Read More »Prices are an inequality issue
In August, the Centre for Labour, Employment and Work (CLEW) at Victoria University released their annual analysis of collective employment agreements (CEAs). It shows again… Read More »The Union Pay Premium
Some of our most important labour statistics such as on unemployment are measured by Statistics New Zealand in a three-monthly survey of 16,000 households, the… Read More »Has Unemployment Really Fallen That Much?
You may have noticed there was no July Bulletin. I was in Europe, mainly on holiday, but also talking to experts on collective bargaining in… Read More »Effective Collective Bargaining: Lessons from Europe
The Government is in denial over the failure of the 90-day trials. New research commissioned by Treasury found that it did not increase employment or… Read More »90-day Trials: What Does the Research Tell Us?
The Budget wasn’t boring – it was a failure of a Government’s responsibility to New Zealanders. Its focus was on balancing the books and reducing… Read More »The Budget: Ratings Agencies Should Be Pleased
The Government’s Budget for 2016 is on 26 May. What’s likely to be in it, and what should be? The ‘Operating Allowance’ for new operational… Read More »What’s Going to Be in The Budget
On 4 April, the workplace health and safety legislation comes into force. It contains many significant steps for the better. But we were very disappointed… Read More »Are Small Businesses Less Safe?
International agencies and many commentators including the Minister of Finance in his “state of the economy” speech last week, have been writing about the growing… Read More »The International Economy: Risks and Opportunities