Alex Tarrant | interest.co.nz

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.

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Member for

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Ross receivers confirm worst fears

Ross Asset Management receivers confirm investors' fears, say don't expect to find any more assets of significant value after talking to David Ross

23rd Nov 12, 10:40am

by Alex Tarrant

Ross Asset Management receivers confirm investors' fears, say don't expect to find any more assets of significant value after talking to David Ross

Fonterra, govt, eye Burma dairy

Govt to set up NZ$6 mln dairy farm in Burma, PM Key says; Fonterra appoints country manager for Burma

22nd Nov 12, 3:30pm

by Alex Tarrant

Govt to set up NZ$6 mln dairy farm in Burma, PM Key says; Fonterra appoints country manager for Burma

NZ$ could be stronger for longer

Stronger trading partner growth picks mean NZ$ might be stronger for longer, above US80 cents, BNZ researchers say

22nd Nov 12, 3:07pm

by Alex Tarrant

Stronger trading partner growth picks mean NZ$ might be stronger for longer, above US80 cents, BNZ researchers say

Govt eyes rent savings in capital

Govt eyes NZ$388 mln of rent, cost savings in Wellington over 20 years, as it reduces office space footprint

22nd Nov 12, 2:20pm

by Alex Tarrant

Govt eyes NZ$388 mln of rent, cost savings in Wellington over 20 years, as it reduces office space footprint

Migration pressure on house prices?

RBNZ watching to see if positive migration becomes trend again, pushing up Auckland and Canterbury house prices, ASB says; Aussie departures remain high

22nd Nov 12, 12:44pm

by Alex Tarrant

RBNZ watching to see if positive migration becomes trend again, pushing up Auckland and Canterbury house prices, ASB says; Aussie departures remain high

Shearer eyes affordable housing

Labour leader Shearer visits 'affordable housing' project; Each 4-bedroom unit built for NZ$300-350k, valued at NZ$495k

21st Nov 12, 5:10pm

by Alex Tarrant

Labour leader Shearer visits 'affordable housing' project; Each 4-bedroom unit built for NZ$300-350k, valued at NZ$495k

Greens say restrict foreign buyers

Govt needs to restrict foreign buyers of NZ property, Green Party says, following real estate agent concerns in Auckland

21st Nov 12, 11:06am

by Alex Tarrant

Govt needs to restrict foreign buyers of NZ property, Green Party says, following real estate agent concerns in Auckland

Shearer, Cunliffe on vote, demotion

Labour leader David Shearer gets 100% backing in caucus leadership vote, demotes rival David Cunliffe to the back benches

20th Nov 12, 1:51pm

by Alex Tarrant

Labour leader David Shearer gets 100% backing in caucus leadership vote, demotes rival David Cunliffe to the back benches

Shearer & Cunliffe; Pancho & Lefty?

Labour leadership vote at 4pm today; So what do we do till then? Listen to Townes van Zandt of course

20th Nov 12, 11:02am

by Alex Tarrant

Labour leadership vote at 4pm today; So what do we do till then? Listen to Townes van Zandt of course

Key eyes competitive advantages

NZ needs to focus on competitive advantages, PM Key says; Defends surplus track; Notes Reserve Bank would be cutting OCR if growth outlook bad

19th Nov 12, 3:44pm

by Alex Tarrant

NZ needs to focus on competitive advantages, PM Key says; Defends surplus track; Notes Reserve Bank would be cutting OCR if growth outlook bad

Labour leadership vote at 4pm

Labour leader Shearer tries to take front foot in leadership stoush; Hints at caucus vote 'in the coming days' in bid to quieten Cunliffe speculation

19th Nov 12, 11:32am

by Alex Tarrant

Labour leader Shearer tries to take front foot in leadership stoush; Hints at caucus vote 'in the coming days' in bid to quieten Cunliffe speculation

Labour promises 100,000 homes

Labour promises to build 100,000 homes in ten years at NZ$300,000 each; Will work with private sector, community agencies, local govt

19th Nov 12, 7:19am

by Alex Tarrant

150

Labour promises to build 100,000 homes in ten years at NZ$300,000 each; Will work with private sector, community agencies, local govt

Govt eyes 'affordable' Auckland homes

Housing Minister Heatley eyes 500-600 homes at Hobsonville to be sold for NZ$485,000 or less; 'Considered more affordable in Auckland context'

16th Nov 12, 1:52pm

by Alex Tarrant

Housing Minister Heatley eyes 500-600 homes at Hobsonville to be sold for NZ$485,000 or less; 'Considered more affordable in Auckland context'

Time for an OCR cut? It's possible

BNZ's Stephen Toplis says case growing for OCR cut; 'Not BNZ's central forecast, but is it plausible? Hell yes'

16th Nov 12, 1:26pm

by Alex Tarrant

BNZ's Stephen Toplis says case growing for OCR cut; 'Not BNZ's central forecast, but is it plausible? Hell yes'

'Ross very plausible; It all tallied up'

Ross Asset Management investor, with six-figure life savings invested, talks to Radio NZ's Kathryn Ryan about Ross, his documents, and plausibility

16th Nov 12, 12:48pm

by Alex Tarrant

Ross Asset Management investor, with six-figure life savings invested, talks to Radio NZ's Kathryn Ryan about Ross, his documents, and plausibility

Auckland house boom as deposit rates drop

Auckland housing heading back to boom territory as investors sick of low deposit rates turn back to property, BNZ's Tony Alexander says

16th Nov 12, 9:53am

by Alex Tarrant

Auckland housing heading back to boom territory as investors sick of low deposit rates turn back to property, BNZ's Tony Alexander says

NZ 'best place in world to do business'

NZ best place in world to do business, Forbes says; Cites transparency and stability, lack of red tape; But notes high NZ$ downside

15th Nov 12, 5:18pm

by Alex Tarrant

NZ best place in world to do business, Forbes says; Cites transparency and stability, lack of red tape; But notes high NZ$ downside

'What are you doing about the NZ$?'

Winston Peters has learnt his lesson about monetary policy and the NZ$, he says; So what would he do differently now than when Treasurer?

15th Nov 12, 2:47pm

by Alex Tarrant

Winston Peters has learnt his lesson about monetary policy and the NZ$, he says; So what would he do differently now than when Treasurer?

Ross report hints at Ponzi scheme

Ross Asset Management receivers PwC say can only find NZ$10m of investments held for purported investments of NZ$450m; Fund insolvent, Group to be liquidated

15th Nov 12, 12:20pm

by Alex Tarrant

Ross Asset Management receivers PwC say can only find NZ$10m of investments held for purported investments of NZ$450m; Fund insolvent, Group to be liquidated

'We're not neo-liberal orthodoxists'

Treasury not bunch of neo-liberal orthodoxists, Secretary Makhlouf says; 'We're people who think really hard about evidence'

15th Nov 12, 12:05pm

by Alex Tarrant

Treasury not bunch of neo-liberal orthodoxists, Secretary Makhlouf says; 'We're people who think really hard about evidence'

Farm spring selling season 'in full swing'

Farm sales fall in October from year ago while prices rise, REINZ says; Eyes 'active market which should mean more sales in November'

15th Nov 12, 10:45am

by Alex Tarrant

Farm sales fall in October from year ago while prices rise, REINZ says; Eyes 'active market which should mean more sales in November'

Banks gouging rural customers, Nats MP says

Banks gouging rural customers, National Wairarapa MP Hayes tells Finance Minister English; English tells customers to shop around for lower rates

14th Nov 12, 4:51pm

by Alex Tarrant

Banks gouging rural customers, National Wairarapa MP Hayes tells Finance Minister English; English tells customers to shop around for lower rates

Kiwibank to get $100m new capital

NZ Post eyes NZ$100 million capital injection for Kiwibank over next three years; To come from retained earnings, parent investments

14th Nov 12, 4:29pm

by Alex Tarrant

NZ Post eyes NZ$100 million capital injection for Kiwibank over next three years; To come from retained earnings, parent investments

'World won't let us run 7-8% current account deficits'

Why Finance Minister Bill English is more positive about NZ's current account deficit track than Treasury; 'World will punish us if it hits 7-8% of GDP'

14th Nov 12, 2:00pm

by Alex Tarrant

Why Finance Minister Bill English is more positive about NZ's current account deficit track than Treasury; 'World will punish us if it hits 7-8% of GDP'

Labour eyes housing affordability

Shearer: No leadership challenge; Weekend party conference a chance to tout policies; Labour eyes shift on KiwiSaver first home deposit restrictions

13th Nov 12, 11:42am

by Alex Tarrant

Shearer: No leadership challenge; Weekend party conference a chance to tout policies; Labour eyes shift on KiwiSaver first home deposit restrictions