Bernard Hickey
@bernardchickey.bsky.social
Podcaster and newsletter writer about housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa. Free and paid versions here: https://open.substack.com/pub/thekaka?r=akd4&utm_medium=ios
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Sunday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
January 4, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Sunday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/morten-morla...
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
12/25/2025- 'Twas the Night Before Christmas www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/de...
December 24, 2025 at 11:11 PM
12/25/2025- 'Twas the Night Before Christmas www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/de...
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Big banking data day. Here's the all important credit flow - how much $ banks pump into the economy - net of repayments.
We'll start with the biggie: mortgages. The monthly data has leapt into the neutral/positive range as interest rates drop and folks 'buy the bottom'. [🧵 1/n]
We'll start with the biggie: mortgages. The monthly data has leapt into the neutral/positive range as interest rates drop and folks 'buy the bottom'. [🧵 1/n]
December 23, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Big banking data day. Here's the all important credit flow - how much $ banks pump into the economy - net of repayments.
We'll start with the biggie: mortgages. The monthly data has leapt into the neutral/positive range as interest rates drop and folks 'buy the bottom'. [🧵 1/n]
We'll start with the biggie: mortgages. The monthly data has leapt into the neutral/positive range as interest rates drop and folks 'buy the bottom'. [🧵 1/n]
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Bad Santa - in today’s NZ Herald
December 23, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Bad Santa - in today’s NZ Herald
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Tax revenue is sagging badly, and Govt is throwing money into mostly low value capital projects as it attempts to get the economy moving... while, you know, appearing to be frugal. Govt deficit spend is well above 2nd cvid lockdown levels. Funny that. [2/2]
December 22, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Tax revenue is sagging badly, and Govt is throwing money into mostly low value capital projects as it attempts to get the economy moving... while, you know, appearing to be frugal. Govt deficit spend is well above 2nd cvid lockdown levels. Funny that. [2/2]
Housing market with bits tacked on.
So, comparing year to Sept 25 with the preceding 12 months (to Sept 24). What industries are powering our recovery (as measured by silly GDP)? NB graph only shows industries with positive change.
Well, we're buying more houses again - so estate agents are back in the money. Great work guys. [🧵 1/n]
Well, we're buying more houses again - so estate agents are back in the money. Great work guys. [🧵 1/n]
December 18, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Housing market with bits tacked on.
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
We are so back. In other words, we have stopped falling. It is truly remarkable that NZ almost uniquely plunged its economy into a sustained recession in response to a global inflation shock that other countries just rode out. And, now we are celebrating ending our self-flaggelation. [1/2]
December 17, 2025 at 11:41 PM
We are so back. In other words, we have stopped falling. It is truly remarkable that NZ almost uniquely plunged its economy into a sustained recession in response to a global inflation shock that other countries just rode out. And, now we are celebrating ending our self-flaggelation. [1/2]
FYI
Our full report on how to clean up manufacturing through electrification is available at: www.2035initiative.com/clean-manufa...
You can also explore data on facilities in your state and community using our webtool: www.2035initiative.com/clean-manufa...
You can also explore data on facilities in your state and community using our webtool: www.2035initiative.com/clean-manufa...
December 17, 2025 at 5:21 AM
FYI
This is how the Government’s finances actually work.
Quick explainer. If Govt create and spend $190bn into existence (as they do) and they then collect revenue of $170bn, and destroy it, that leaves $20bn of what Treasury call 'residual cash' in the econony. (🧵 1/n)
December 17, 2025 at 5:20 AM
This is how the Government’s finances actually work.
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Wednesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/peter-brooke...
December 16, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Wednesday’s @thetimes.com cartoon times.newsprints.co.uk/peter-brooke...
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Breaking news: President Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, a dramatic escalation in his months-long pressure campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump announces ‘complete blockade’ of sanctioned oil tankers to Venezuela
In a Truth Social post, President Donald Trump also declared the government of President Nicolás Maduro a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 17, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Breaking news: President Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela, a dramatic escalation in his months-long pressure campaign against the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Imagine finishing your benefit forecasts for HYEFU, closing your laptop, and heading to floor 8 for a few miserable xmas treats... then the actual data comes out and blows your calculations out of the water!
[NB: Actual data varies slightly from forecast data, but not by much)
[NB: Actual data varies slightly from forecast data, but not by much)
December 16, 2025 at 4:53 AM
Imagine finishing your benefit forecasts for HYEFU, closing your laptop, and heading to floor 8 for a few miserable xmas treats... then the actual data comes out and blows your calculations out of the water!
[NB: Actual data varies slightly from forecast data, but not by much)
[NB: Actual data varies slightly from forecast data, but not by much)
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
IRD's liquidation activity has stepped up by about 30% in the last year.
‘Last rites for zombie companies’: Inland Revenue liquidates nearly 900 companies in one year
IRD's liquidation activity has stepped up by about 30% in the last year.
dlvr.it
December 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
IRD's liquidation activity has stepped up by about 30% in the last year.
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Vanessa Smith-Glitenkamp deserves our respect and attention:
“Aotearoa welcomed my family as immigrants. … I will not stand by quietly and enable behaviour that disrespects tangata whenua.”
“Aotearoa welcomed my family as immigrants. … I will not stand by quietly and enable behaviour that disrespects tangata whenua.”
Executive assistant resigns over mayor’s ‘disregard for Treaty principles’
Woman resigns over Napier mayor’s ‘disregard for Treaty principles’.
www.stuff.co.nz
December 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Vanessa Smith-Glitenkamp deserves our respect and attention:
“Aotearoa welcomed my family as immigrants. … I will not stand by quietly and enable behaviour that disrespects tangata whenua.”
“Aotearoa welcomed my family as immigrants. … I will not stand by quietly and enable behaviour that disrespects tangata whenua.”
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Tova O'Brien announced as new Breakfast presenter
Tova O'Brien will be the new Breakfast presenter
The political journalist will replace Jenny-May Clarkson on TVNZ's morning TV show.
www.rnz.co.nz
December 14, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Tova O'Brien announced as new Breakfast presenter
FYI in today’s Chorus email/podcast… Economist says RBNZ guidance of interest rates higher a 'mistep' & hurts economy pre-Christmas; Hipkins says 'NZ can't afford to be aspirational again'; 64% of ACT voters want more state homes #nzpol
'Oops. The RBNZ just turned into the Grinch'
Economist says RBNZ guidance of interest rates higher a 'mistep' & hurts economy pre-Christmas; Hipkins says 'NZ can't afford to be aspirational again'; 64% of ACT voters want more state homes
open.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 9:04 PM
FYI in today’s Chorus email/podcast… Economist says RBNZ guidance of interest rates higher a 'mistep' & hurts economy pre-Christmas; Hipkins says 'NZ can't afford to be aspirational again'; 64% of ACT voters want more state homes #nzpol
FYI I’ve opened this one up to all to read, listen & share after requests from paying subscribers to make it publicly available as part of my public interest journalism mandate. Many thanks to paying subscribers who allow me to put some of this work in public. #nzpol
A debt debate that is frozen in time & ideology
Richardson & Willis debt debate assumes 1991-style austerity worked, that NZ faces being locked out of global markets, that the NZ Super Fund doesn't exist & that households can borrow much more
open.substack.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
FYI I’ve opened this one up to all to read, listen & share after requests from paying subscribers to make it publicly available as part of my public interest journalism mandate. Many thanks to paying subscribers who allow me to put some of this work in public. #nzpol
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
See it now? No? Still nothing?
December 12, 2025 at 8:33 PM
See it now? No? Still nothing?
A Saturday Soliloquy: Richardson & Willis debt debate assumes 1991-style austerity worked, that NZ faces being locked out of global markets, that the NZ Super Fund doesn't exist & that households can borrow much more #nzpol open.substack.com/pub/thekaka/...
A debt debate that is frozen in time & ideology
Richardson & Willis debt debate assumes 1991-style austerity worked, that NZ faces being locked out of global markets, that the NZ Super Fund doesn't exist & that households can borrow much more
open.substack.com
December 12, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A Saturday Soliloquy: Richardson & Willis debt debate assumes 1991-style austerity worked, that NZ faces being locked out of global markets, that the NZ Super Fund doesn't exist & that households can borrow much more #nzpol open.substack.com/pub/thekaka/...
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
This is the US data on visitors from NZ. I can't see people being more enthused to visit.
December 12, 2025 at 2:17 AM
This is the US data on visitors from NZ. I can't see people being more enthused to visit.
Reposted by Bernard Hickey
Scoop: A prospective offshore wind developer has announced it will shut its operations in New Zealand by the end of the year, making it the third firm to exit in the past 14 months.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...
Offshore wind firm exits NZ as seabed mine seeks consent
An offshore wind developer warned the Taranaki seabed mine would render its planned farm unviable. Now it is closing up shop in NZ.
newsroom.co.nz
December 11, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Scoop: A prospective offshore wind developer has announced it will shut its operations in New Zealand by the end of the year, making it the third firm to exit in the past 14 months.
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...
newsroom.co.nz/2025/12/12/o...