The NZCTU actively works with its affiliates to build a high-wage, high-skill, low-carbon economy in which good work is available to all.
For decades, Aotearoa New Zealand has underinvested in our people and infrastructure, and workers have been denied their fair share of economic growth.
The NZCTU’s policy work focuses on how Aotearoa New Zealand can address its major economic challenges of low wages, climate change, and infrastructure, and how we can build a productive economy in which all workers thrive.
Latest Economy News
- Inflation data confirms real terms minimum wage cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi is concerned for low-income workers given new data released by Stats NZ that shows inflation was 2.5% for the year to March 2025, rising from… Read More »Inflation data confirms real terms minimum wage cut - Recession ends – Economic challenges remain
Figures released by Statistics New Zealand today showed that the economy grew by 0.7% ending the very deep recession seen over the past year, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist… Read More »Recession ends – Economic challenges remain - Action needed now, as child poverty grows
Data released today by Statistics New Zealand showed the urgent problem facing Aotearoa New Zealand in tackling child poverty, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “Child poverty is… Read More »Action needed now, as child poverty grows - Unemployment climbs above 5%
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney.… Read More »Unemployment climbs above 5% - Comments on MBIE/MFAT proposed long-term insights briefing: “New Zealand’s future productivity to 2050”
The NZCTU’s view is that “New Zealand’s future productivity to 2050” is a worthwhile topic for the upcoming long-term insights briefing. It is important that Ministers, social partners, and the… Read More »Comments on MBIE/MFAT proposed long-term insights briefing: “New Zealand’s future productivity to 2050” - Submission on the Targeted Review of the Commerce Act 1986
The NZCTU supports a strengthening of the Commerce Act 1986. We have seen a general trend of market consolidation across multiple sectors of the New Zealand economy. Concentrated market power… Read More »Submission on the Targeted Review of the Commerce Act 1986
Economic Bulletin
The Economic Bulletin provides a worker’s perspective on the New Zealand economy. In each issue, we analyse the latest economic data, examine trends in the New Zealand economy, and discuss policies that will improve outcomes for working people.
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Previous Issues
- Economic Bulletin March 2025
Welcome to the March 2025 Economic Bulletin. The feature article examines what public private partnerships (PPPs) are. PPPs have been a hot topic recently, with the coalition government signalling it… Read More »Economic Bulletin March 2025 - Economic Bulletin January/February 2025
Welcome to the January/February 2025 Economic Bulletin. In the feature article Craig surveys the backwards steps New Zealand has been making on child poverty reduction. In our main data updates,… Read More »Economic Bulletin January/February 2025 - Economic Bulletin December 2024
Welcome to the December 2024 Economic Bulletin. We have two monthly features in this edition. In the first, we discuss what the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update from Treasury… Read More »Economic Bulletin December 2024 - Economic Bulletin October – November 2024
Welcome to the October/November 2024 Economic Bulletin. In our monthly feature we look at the current state of the labour market, how it has changed since 2022, and how it… Read More »Economic Bulletin October – November 2024 - Economic Bulletin August/September 2024
Welcome to the August/September 2024 Economic Bulletin. In our monthly feature we provide an analysis of the gender pay gap in New Zealand for 2024. The mean gender pay gap… Read More »Economic Bulletin August/September 2024 - Economic Bulletin July 2024
Welcome to the July 2024 Economic Bulletin. In our monthly feature we discuss the child poverty reduction targets announced by the government recently. Under the Child Poverty Reduction Act 2018,… Read More »Economic Bulletin July 2024
Budget 23
This is a Budget written in the shadow of an election that will likely define Aotearoa New Zealand for decades to come. It is also a Budget written against the backdrop of inflation, the climate crisis, and other profound challenges for our country.
Budget 2023 shows that the government’s accounts are in a strong position and that our short-term economic position is relatively robust. Much of this Budget is set to ease inflation, with 79% of total costs used just to keep the lights on – against 69% last year and around 50% historically. Government is making some highly targeted investments that will ease cost-of-living pressures, improve living standards for lower-income households, and support science and innovation.
However, government is still hiding behind fiscal indicators instead of delivering the kinds of transformational change that we need. Aotearoa New Zealand should be moving the structural levels of taxation and spending to those we see in the countries that we compare ourselves to.
Policy Topics
