#nzpol NBR reports the Min. of Finance saying a "Stronger economy will help the Government’s books". nbr.co.nz/politics/str... The chart (from @labourcartel.bsky.social) might explain the government's current situation. Something happened in late 2023, and things have gotten worse since.

#nzpol Data released today shows that for all the talk of green shoots, the economy hasn’t grown at all in 2 years. Unemployment is up, & the cost of living is still rising for middle and low-income New Zealanders. The GDP increase today simply balances out the fall previously. A Thread

#nzpol In the house today, Nicola Willis said that in my recent book I thought the debt limit for the government should be 80-90% of GDP. As is clear in the book - that is the Treasury's position, not mine. See P.14 of www.treasury.govt.nz/sites/defaul...

#nzpol HYEFU shows that the OBEGAL deficit is no longer in the same postcode as the National Party Fiscal Plan. We never get close to the surplus being promised - to the tune of -$48bn across the period to 2027/28

#nzpol HYEFU data today showed that unemployment is forecast to stay much higher than forecast by Treasury at the last election. There will be 76,000 more people on jobseekers by 2027. Wages going up by less every year than forecast at the last election.

#nzpol Just catching up with the HYEFU data today - but the data looks grim pretty much across the board. One data point stood out to me - the economy will be cumulatively $28.3bn smaller at the next election than predicted by Treasury at the last election.

#nzpol Congratulations to Unions Wellington on the opening of the ‘front door to the union movement’ - resource centre and community & union organising space in Wellington Trades Hall. Come and talk to the lovely people here on Vivian Street about worker rights and organising!

#nzpol Today the government announced that the minimum wage will rise by 2% in April 2026. On current forecasts this will represent the 3rd successive year in which minimum wage workers will face a real terms cut in pay. Over 3 years full time workers are $4,184 worse off. A 🧵

#nzpol Data out today on the economy ahead of the GDP reading next week. It’s a mixed bag – Profits up for firms but not wages. Some sectors are seeing growth, but parts of the private sector are smaller than at the election. This isn’t broad-based growth - we’ve just stopped falling. A 🧵

#nzpol Here at a packed meeting at the Basin Reserve to talk about the SH1 changes. At $3.8bn it’s a lot money - and NZTA is talking about tolling, a regional fuel levy, and a levy on your rates. Nothing to tackle climate change. We need a solution to traffic, but Wellington also needs a fair deal.

#nzpol NZTA put out a very redacted report on the proposed changes to SH1. It shows that the likely cost of the package will be borne by Wellingtonians, regardless of whether they use the roads. Wellington does need new infrastructure, and it needs a fair deal. A🧵 nzta.govt.nz/assets/proje...

#nzpol Standing in solidarity with @NZPSA workers, and unions here in Auckland. Healthcare workers look after us and our families. The government should come to the bargaining table, listen, and settle this dispute.

#nzpol Is the government so broke that it will allow "at least three years of ageing Interislander ferries plying the notorious stretch of water with no viable rescue vessel if things go wrong"? thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3608... 1/3

I’m delighted to announce I'm standing as the Labour candidate in Wellington Bays/Rongotai in 2026. I'm thrilled to fight for better jobs, housing, and health services in our community. Look in the bio to donate, volunteer, and help us deliver a better government next year.

#nzpol Standing with Firefighters who are fighting for better wages and equipment that works. It’s time to support them and keep New Zealanders safe

Today marks 15 years since the Pike River mine disaster. Anna and Sonya are meeting with Brooke van Velden today to call for stronger health and safety protections in our country, taking time out of the most precious day of their year to fight for all New Zealanders. #nzpol

#nzpol Tomorrow will mark the 15-year anniversary of the Pike River mine disaster which killed 29 workers, shocked the nation, and opened a conversation about our poor workplace health and safety record. A decade and a half later, we still haven't resolved that conversation. A🧵

#nzpol The minimum wage increased by 1.5% this year. Data today from Stats NZ shows annual increases of: - Food prices up 4.7% - Fruit up 11% - Beef up 17.4%, Lamb up 32.2% - Bread up 11.4% - Cheese up 14.8% - Eggs up 16.2% - Electricity up 11.8% Laser-focused on the cost of living

#nzpol Good News Alert 🚨 ETU and @workersfirstunion.bsky.social won their case in the Supreme Court against Uber - meaning the court found some workers were employees rather than contractors. Opening the door to more workers being able to claim their rights! www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/assets/cases...

#nzpol Migration data from Stats NZ today with 72,700 New Zealand citizens leaving in the year to Sept 2025 – one every 7 minutes & 22 seconds. It’s improved marginally, but it's way behind where it should be on Treasury forecasts. That creates a $1bn tax gap against forecast. A 🧵

#nzpol - In episode 27 of Locked Out with Craig Renney, we take a look at the recent Labour Market Data, and look at what’s happening with unemployment, underemployment, and wages. Who is losing, and is anyone winning right now? Hint - it's unlikely to be you. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Ex...

Nearly five thousand nights on this set of islands. Never gets old.

#nzpol Unemployment reached a 9 year of 5.3%. The labour market took another turn for the worse - unemployment growing, underemployment growing, fewer hours being worked, and wages are not keeping up with inflation. This data is another sign the economy is not working. A thread

#nzpol On Morning Report today Ingrid said "Should we say green shoots?" in response to a tiny lift in MBIE job ads. Anything that shows a better labour market should be welcomed - but is that really what's going on? The honest answer is not really - job ads are down 30% in 2 years. A🧵

#nzpol Filled jobs out this week - and the number of filled jobs went up - Whoop! That's great news. Only 45,692 jobs to go until we are back to where we were at the election. Something happened in November 2023, and jobs started to fall....

#nzpol The CTU is releasing the latest policy on its programme for the next election - a New Deal for Workers. Fair Pay Agreements. Preventing workers from being forced to be contractors, when they are really employees. Simplifying access to Unions. More at: union.org.nz/wp-content/u...

#nzpol Labour is proposing to create a Capital Gains Tax on property - excluding farms and the family home. That income will help make GP visits free for the majority of people. Is that a better policy than continuing tax-free profits on, say, someone's seventh property? Absolutely. A🧵

Unions are made of workers

#nzpol I never thought that I would see the day when the Public Service Commission was used as an attack arm of the government. National Party polling must be telling them how popular the strikes are, and how unpopular they are. They are afraid. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

#nzpol Nicola Willis at Budget 25 - I always take pause to celebrate that since our government came to office inflation has returned to normal levels”. The cost of living increased 3% when wages are up 2.4%. The government’s laser-like focus on the cost of living should have gone to Specsavers. A🧵

#nzpol with Andrew Little and the new Labour Councillors, celebrating the victory in Wellington. 31,000 doors knocked on, 8,000 phone calls made. Wellington is in safe hands and has a brighter future.

#nzpol Episode 25 of Locked Out with Craig Renney looks at the singularly most idiotic policy launched yet by the government. Visible from space levels of moronic. Have watch now 😄 youtu.be/8aTWMV6ULIc?...

#nzpol GOOD NEWS ALERT 🚨 Today the government relented to pressure from the @livingwageaotearoa.bsky.social and retained the requirement for contracted workers to be paid at least the Living Wage rate in Government Contracts. Around 5,000 workers will likely benefit from this decision

#nzpol The Reserve Bank has cut the official cash rate by 0.5%. That sounds great. But banks only cut interest rates that much when the economy is in trouble - and not when things are going well. This cut is a sign of economic weakness, not strength. A 😄🧵

#nzpol Sometimes a policy is so stupid it makes you question the very fabric of reality. Decisions so fabulously, almost wantonly dumb, you wonder if we actually live in a simulation. Welcome to the world of removing Jobseeker Support for 18 & 19-year-olds. craigrenney.substack.com/p/a-small-wr...

#nzpol The government has announced that 18/19 year olds, who live in a household where the parents earn $65,529 or more, can't claim jobseekers support. If both parents work 27 hours on the minimum wage - $634 a week - they will be expected to now financially support their adult offspring. A 🧵

#nzpol 20 Economists have penned an open letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance - asking for change. The contents and signatories to the letter are at: craigrenney.substack.com/p/open-lette...

Snap poll on The Panel: Should the power grid be nationalised? Yes 91.8% No 8.2% #NZPol

#nzpol The CTU has today released its report on electricity in NZ. We are calling for electricity generators to be brought back into public ownership - and to recognise electricity for what it really is - a public utility - not just a source of profit. 🧵 www.reimagineaotearoa.nz/publicly_own...

#nzpol Monthly employment data - and there are 4,814 more jobs than this time last month! Whoop. Only 42,746 to go to get us to where we were at the last election. 62 jobs lost every single day of this government, one roughly every 23 minutes. A 🧵

#nzpol with @NZHerald's Mood of the Boardroom showing that even NZ’s executive suite prefer Barbara Edmonds over Nicola Willis, we ask why is the New Zealand economy so bad, and what needs to change to improve it? Watch Locked Out ep:23 now youtu.be/5HnB64l16co?...

#nzpol Do we have to do this all the time? beehive.govt.nz/release/20-mil… It’s not new funding. “the initiative will be funded from Health New Zealand’s baseline”. So it’s actually being cut from somewhere else. We already underfunded the health system at the Budget. This is a further cut

#nzpol Big turnout for the Women’s Day of Action for pay equity. Billions of dollars have been stolen from low-paid female dominated workforces. This government can find huge tax cuts for tobacco companies, landlords, and big businesses - but not fair pay. That must change.

#nzpol Locked Out has had a look at the recent GDP numbers. Guess what? They’re not great, and there is no plan to make it work. Have a watch now: youtu.be/RQgR2S6aaTI?...

#nzpol The minimum wage increased 1.5% this year. Data from Stats NZ shows: - Food prices up 5% - Fruit & Veg up 8.9% - Meat up 9.4% - Bread up 9.5% (white sliced up 41.7%) - Cheese up 14.3% - Milk up 15% - Electricity up 11.4% Laser focused on the cost of living www.stats.govt.nz/information-...

#nzpol Data released by Statistics New Zealand shows that the labour market is even more bleak than feared, with the loss of more than 10,000 jobs in just three months. The data shows that there are more than 50,000 fewer jobs than in December 2023. A 🧵 www.stats.govt.nz/information-...

#nzpol The National Party are at it again. The source of this data is kpi.nz - not official data. A Thread…

#nzpol Big turn out tonight at the Living Wage Election Forum Event. The Living Wage right now puts an extra $172 a week into the pay packet of a full time worker. Dignity at work comes from decent pay for everyone - not from tax cuts.

#nzpol Amazon’s investment in Auckland being announced today by the government “is not new money being pledged, nor new jobs being created. Nor even new data centres being built”. But apart from that it’s totally new. H/T @thomasmanch.bsky.social www.thepost.co.nz/business/360...

#nzpol Nicky: - no boats - no new supermarkets - no-one getting $250 a fortnight - no debt reduction - no jobs - no pay equity - no child poverty reduction - no Central Bank Bosses left - no hope The quiet whispers of leadership must be getting louder