What a Biden presidency could mean for US-New Zealand relations

From re-engaging with the Paris Agreement to reducing tensions with China, there are a number of things New Zealand will be hoping to see from the US under a President Joe Biden, writes Stephen Jacobi. The American people have spoken. America’s “better angels” have prevailed. We all hope for better times ahead, but, while there … Read more

Tourism may have disappeared, but demand for NZ food is stronger than ever

Despite global economic uncertainly, a new report shows New Zealand’s land-based industry exports are humming – with plenty of it still going to the world’s most populous country. What’s all this then? Much of New Zealand’s economy might still be spluttering from the fallout of Covid-19, but exports of meat, dairy and horticulture products have … Read more

Trade deals are a handbrake on New Zealand’s post-Covid recovery

The ‘spend local’ mantra should apply to our biggest infrastructure projects too. Yet trade and investment agreements curb the government’s freedom to use procurement for a range of economic and social objectives, argues Jane Kelsey. The government has a limited number of ways to kick-start the economy in the wake of a crisis like Covid-19. … Read more

Social distancing and supply shocks: Why Covid-19 is hammering the global economy

Kiwibank’s chief economist Jarrod Kerr looks back to SARS, and into the future, to help make sense of this once-in-a-generation economic storm. Covid-19 has drawn comparisons to the 2003 SARS outbreak, but those who lived through that should know that this is a very different era. Hits to our short-term confidence, business’s supply chains and … Read more

Indigenous business leaders eye free-trade agreement

An indigenous free-trade agreement is one of the key ideas up for discussion at the World Indigenous Business Forum in Rotorua this week. Indigenous business leaders from around the world are looking at the ways they can create trade opportunities for their people. Hundreds of indigenous people from 25 countries are attending this week’s forum. … Read more