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Alex Tarrant

About

Alex is interest.co.nz's political journalist based in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Wellington. He previously spent four years in London as a journalist and assistant editor at global financial newswire Mergermarket, which was part of the FT Group. Alex worked for interest.co.nz between 2008 and 2012, returning at the start of 2017.

Email Alex

Member for

16 years 9 months

Latest articles

Nationwide govt house-building focus
Govt-led house building focus to be nationwide, greatest pressures are in Auckland, PM English says as Cabinet puts final touches on Budget
by Alex Tarrant
35
Govt-led house building focus to be nationwide, greatest pressures are in Auckland, PM English says as Cabinet puts final touches on Budget
Work visas: A short tale
The episode when Alex and his political advisor Sandy try to dig through the numbers in an attempt to come up with a coherent immigration policy
by Alex Tarrant
50
The episode when Alex and his political advisor Sandy try to dig through the numbers in an attempt to come up with a coherent immigration policy
EQC levies ‘may be affected’
EQC levies may be affected by changes to disaster fund set to be announced after drawn-out review, Joyce says; Flags changes to reinsurance excess, operational detail
by Alex Tarrant
9
EQC levies may be affected by changes to disaster fund set to be announced after drawn-out review, Joyce says; Flags changes to reinsurance excess, operational detail
Private sector funding for National's house building plans
Private sector set to help fund National's large-scale house building plans, Joyce says; Adams to announce policy in lead up to Budget; Migration may have peaked, but set to stay high as construction demand amps up
by Alex Tarrant
40
Private sector set to help fund National's large-scale house building plans, Joyce says; Adams to announce policy in lead up to Budget; Migration may have peaked, but set to stay high as construction demand amps up
Asset price inflation has been a concern – Joyce
Asset price inflation has been a concern; Global adjustments will need careful management as interest rates increase, Finance Minister Joyce says
by Alex Tarrant
15
Asset price inflation has been a concern; Global adjustments will need careful management as interest rates increase, Finance Minister Joyce says
Govt tax talk is thresholds, not rates – Joyce
Budget tax changes would focus on thresholds, not rates, Finance Minister Joyce says; Families package might target transfers in bid to help incomes
by Alex Tarrant
33
Budget tax changes would focus on thresholds, not rates, Finance Minister Joyce says; Families package might target transfers in bid to help incomes
Govt announces new debt target
Finance Minister Joyce announces new govt net debt target of 10-15% by 2025, announces increase in new capital infrastructure spending over next four Budgets
by Alex Tarrant
62
Finance Minister Joyce announces new govt net debt target of 10-15% by 2025, announces increase in new capital infrastructure spending over next four Budgets
'Large scale' govt house building role goes to Adams
Govt Ministerial responsibility for house building programmes shifted to Amy Adams from Nick Smith as PM English reshuffles Cabinet
by Alex Tarrant
13
Govt Ministerial responsibility for house building programmes shifted to Amy Adams from Nick Smith as PM English reshuffles Cabinet
Govt 'concerned for young home buyers'
Finance Minister Joyce says govt concerned about young people's ability to save for a house deposit while being hit by 48k tax threshold and student loan repayments; Prods Auckland Council on transport spending
by Alex Tarrant
162
Finance Minister Joyce says govt concerned about young people's ability to save for a house deposit while being hit by 48k tax threshold and student loan repayments; Prods Auckland Council on transport spending
Auckland’s purple housing supply election
National is gearing up to announce a big Auckland housing plan. It has been dubbed 'KiwiBuild-lite', but even that implies too wide a gap from Labour
by Alex Tarrant
75
National is gearing up to announce a big Auckland housing plan. It has been dubbed 'KiwiBuild-lite', but even that implies too wide a gap from Labour
Immigration NZ: 57% of SMC requests below median wage
An Immigration NZ sample of 600 live Skilled Migrant Category applications in March shows 57% were for jobs offering less than the new median wage threshold
by Alex Tarrant
87
An Immigration NZ sample of 600 live Skilled Migrant Category applications in March shows 57% were for jobs offering less than the new median wage threshold
Inflation surprise turns focus to OCR hike track
CPI inflation of 2.2% in year to March beats expectations, with housing-related and transport prices on top of cigarette tax rise driving it
by Alex Tarrant
104
CPI inflation of 2.2% in year to March beats expectations, with housing-related and transport prices on top of cigarette tax rise driving it
Immigration changes: What you need to know
Government changes to New Zealand immigration settings: Questions and Answers on skilled and temporary visa categories
by Alex Tarrant
1
Government changes to New Zealand immigration settings: Questions and Answers on skilled and temporary visa categories
Govt announces skilled migrant pay floor
Govt announces skilled migrant median pay requirement to sit alongside qualification and occupation requirements; Proposes tweaks to temporary migration settings and South Island residency path
by Alex Tarrant
73
Govt announces skilled migrant median pay requirement to sit alongside qualification and occupation requirements; Proposes tweaks to temporary migration settings and South Island residency path
Govt to 'tweak' immigration settings
Govt to tweak immigration settings to 'better control the flows and better match skills shortages', PM English says
by Alex Tarrant
66
Govt to tweak immigration settings to 'better control the flows and better match skills shortages', PM English says
NZ debt-to-income ratios a risk...to Australia
NZ's rising debt-to-income ratios for new property lending presenting additional risks; New DTI restriction tool could help - Reserve Bank of Australia
by Alex Tarrant
7
NZ's rising debt-to-income ratios for new property lending presenting additional risks; New DTI restriction tool could help - Reserve Bank of Australia
Why houses in NZ have become so expensive (and big) and change will be so hard: Part II
Land price & house size jumps: How NZ’s 1989 tax experiment ignored the potential impacts on land values, house sizes and property prices as govt chased a short-term revenue kick but doomed future generations
by Alex Tarrant
83
Land price & house size jumps: How NZ’s 1989 tax experiment ignored the potential impacts on land values, house sizes and property prices as govt chased a short-term revenue kick but doomed future generations
Labour touts Hutt Valley land for KiwiBuild
Labour says empty Housing NZ land in Wellington's Hutt Valley region enough for 400 Kiwibuild and state homes; One-to-three-bedroom Kiwibuild properties at $200,000 to $350,000
by Alex Tarrant
7
Labour says empty Housing NZ land in Wellington's Hutt Valley region enough for 400 Kiwibuild and state homes; One-to-three-bedroom Kiwibuild properties at $200,000 to $350,000
'House prices can't drop' - Labour
House prices need to remain stable while tens of thousands of new houses come on-stream, Labour Party leader Andrew Little says; Defends $600,000 Kiwibuild price as affordable in Auckland
by Alex Tarrant
192
House prices need to remain stable while tens of thousands of new houses come on-stream, Labour Party leader Andrew Little says; Defends $600,000 Kiwibuild price as affordable in Auckland
A lesson on interviewing Winston Peters
NZ First has long sought changes to how the RBNZ runs monetary policy. So Alex Tarrant attempted to ask Winston Peters what he thought about Labour's monetary policy proposals
by Alex Tarrant
13
NZ First has long sought changes to how the RBNZ runs monetary policy. So Alex Tarrant attempted to ask Winston Peters what he thought about Labour's monetary policy proposals
'We need time to catch up,' Labour's Little says of immigration
Labour's immigration policy to focus foremost on whether people entering NZ on work visas can be cut, and those roles filled by locals, Andrew Little says
by Alex Tarrant
29
Labour's immigration policy to focus foremost on whether people entering NZ on work visas can be cut, and those roles filled by locals, Andrew Little says
On NAIRU, and time inconsistency
Labour's monetary policy employment target met by questions on how to measure success (NAIRU?) and whether people will continue to trust the Reserve Bank. Time Inconsistency anyone?
by Alex Tarrant
11
Labour's monetary policy employment target met by questions on how to measure success (NAIRU?) and whether people will continue to trust the Reserve Bank. Time Inconsistency anyone?
Govt reviewing 'technical' RBNZ changes
No possibility of govt legislating before election for 'technical' changes to Reserve Bank operations stemming from Treasury review, PM English says; Joyce requests review on OCR committee, Bank legislation overview
by Alex Tarrant
4
No possibility of govt legislating before election for 'technical' changes to Reserve Bank operations stemming from Treasury review, PM English says; Joyce requests review on OCR committee, Bank legislation overview
Labour announces monetary policy employment goal
Labour formally announces monetary policy 'full employment' mandate alongside price stability for Reserve Bank; New OCR-setting committee would allow Treasury input but no vote alongside RBNZ Governors and three externals
by Alex Tarrant
11
Labour formally announces monetary policy 'full employment' mandate alongside price stability for Reserve Bank; New OCR-setting committee would allow Treasury input but no vote alongside RBNZ Governors and three externals
A Labour/Green/NZF/Mana govt?
Election 2017 could be decided by the Maori seats, Alex Tarrant writes; While National is clearly looking to boost the Maori Party as its preferred partner over Peters, it's the Maori/Mana alliance that could have the biggest impact
by Alex Tarrant
53
Election 2017 could be decided by the Maori seats, Alex Tarrant writes; While National is clearly looking to boost the Maori Party as its preferred partner over Peters, it's the Maori/Mana alliance that could have the biggest impact