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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

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Foreign investment in land important
Important to maintain an open and welcoming environment for Asian investment, even in rural land, NZ/Aus business forum says
17th Apr 12, 10:32am
by Alex Tarrant
6
Important to maintain an open and welcoming environment for Asian investment, even in rural land, NZ/Aus business forum says
'NZ$ overvalued,' John Key says
PM Key says NZ$ overvalued, "but we're considering what we can do to resist a rising exchange rate"; Welcomes yuan move
17th Apr 12, 8:51am
by Alex Tarrant
13
PM Key says NZ$ overvalued, "but we're considering what we can do to resist a rising exchange rate"; Welcomes yuan move
Yuan move will help NZ - English
Finance Minister English welcomes Chinese move to broaden yuan trading band as 4th-ranked Chinese official visits NZ
16th Apr 12, 5:22pm
by Alex Tarrant
4
Finance Minister English welcomes Chinese move to broaden yuan trading band as 4th-ranked Chinese official visits NZ
Little pressure to raise OCR
BusinessDesk: NZ food prices fall 1% in March, led by fruit, vegetables, chicken
16th Apr 12, 11:48am
by Alex Tarrant
BusinessDesk: NZ food prices fall 1% in March, led by fruit, vegetables, chicken
'Neither a buyers' nor a sellers' market'
NZ residential property market improving, but not becoming over-heated, BNZ's Alexander says; 'No flood of properties likely anytime soon'
16th Apr 12, 11:26am
by Alex Tarrant
6
NZ residential property market improving, but not becoming over-heated, BNZ's Alexander says; 'No flood of properties likely anytime soon'
Govt to hike mining royalties
Govt to hike mining royalties; Eyes 50% oil and gas exploration increase; 'Won't hurt clean, green image,' Resources Minister Heatley says
16th Apr 12, 8:35am
by Alex Tarrant
28
Govt to hike mining royalties; Eyes 50% oil and gas exploration increase; 'Won't hurt clean, green image,' Resources Minister Heatley says
'We can't just do it with meat & milk'
Labour's Shearer says single Aus/NZ economic market deserves a look; Says NZ needs to innovate; Welcomes Asian investment that helps
13th Apr 12, 5:30pm
by Alex Tarrant
48
Labour's Shearer says single Aus/NZ economic market deserves a look; Says NZ needs to innovate; Welcomes Asian investment that helps
OECD warns on debt, but gets it wrong
OECD says NZ faces 2nd largest fiscal consolidation effort of OECD nations to get gross public debt under 50% of GDP by 2050; But OECD uses old figures
13th Apr 12, 12:00pm
by Alex Tarrant
8
OECD says NZ faces 2nd largest fiscal consolidation effort of OECD nations to get gross public debt under 50% of GDP by 2050; But OECD uses old figures
What the surplus will be spent on
Govt can't commit to reviewing parental leave once surplus comes because of commitments to public service, super fund, debt repayments
13th Apr 12, 9:34am
by Alex Tarrant
8
Govt can't commit to reviewing parental leave once surplus comes because of commitments to public service, super fund, debt repayments
'Fix the accommodation supplement'
Productivity Commission eyes fixes for govt rent subsidy that could cost taxpayers NZ$2.2 bln in 2016, almost twice what it costs now
12th Apr 12, 2:40pm
by Alex Tarrant
19
Productivity Commission eyes fixes for govt rent subsidy that could cost taxpayers NZ$2.2 bln in 2016, almost twice what it costs now
Property values fell in March
NZ property values fell slightly in March after year of slight month-on-month increases, Quotable Value says
12th Apr 12, 10:49am
by Alex Tarrant
72
NZ property values fell slightly in March after year of slight month-on-month increases, Quotable Value says
'Release more land immediately'
Productivity Commission recommends immediate release of land for residential development in Auckland, Christchurch, in final housing affordability report
11th Apr 12, 11:10am
by Alex Tarrant
181
Productivity Commission recommends immediate release of land for residential development in Auckland, Christchurch, in final housing affordability report
Firms optimistic, but economy flat
Business confidence jumps in March quarter, but indicators show economy flat, NZIER says; 'OCR on hold til mid 2013, maybe longer'
11th Apr 12, 10:00am
by Alex Tarrant
7
Business confidence jumps in March quarter, but indicators show economy flat, NZIER says; 'OCR on hold til mid 2013, maybe longer'
Ready for rebuild but have to wait
Christchurch timber house building firm ready for the city's rebuild, but facing insurance payout, regulation and subdivision delays
11th Apr 12, 9:22am
by Alex Tarrant
1
Christchurch timber house building firm ready for the city's rebuild, but facing insurance payout, regulation and subdivision delays
Christchurch asking rents jump 15%
Christchurch has lowest level of rental inventory in 'years'; Average asking rents up 15% from year ago, Trade Me says; 'More people now looking to buy'
11th Apr 12, 8:40am
by Alex Tarrant
5
Christchurch has lowest level of rental inventory in 'years'; Average asking rents up 15% from year ago, Trade Me says; 'More people now looking to buy'
'Truckometer' says GDP growth will weaken
NZ economic growth tipped to weaken mid-year by new ANZ 'Truckometer', although quake rebuild might keep activity going
10th Apr 12, 12:10pm
by Alex Tarrant
3
NZ economic growth tipped to weaken mid-year by new ANZ 'Truckometer', although quake rebuild might keep activity going
'Let foreigners lease NZ farm land'
How do we deal with foreign ownership of NZ land? David Mahon suggests allowing Kiwis to sell to a trust, which would on-sell it leasehold to foreigners
10th Apr 12, 10:07am
by Alex Tarrant
57
How do we deal with foreign ownership of NZ land? David Mahon suggests allowing Kiwis to sell to a trust, which would on-sell it leasehold to foreigners
Lockwood's building regulation frustration
Construction companies being forced to build identical houses differently to meet the divergent demands of different council inspectors and their councils
6th Apr 12, 12:35pm
by Alex Tarrant
29
Construction companies being forced to build identical houses differently to meet the divergent demands of different council inspectors and their councils
RBNZ approves AMI sale to IAG
RBNZ approves IAG's purchase of AMI's good book, removing final roadblock to IAG controlling 60% of NZ home and car insurance markets
5th Apr 12, 11:31am
by Alex Tarrant
3
RBNZ approves IAG's purchase of AMI's good book, removing final roadblock to IAG controlling 60% of NZ home and car insurance markets
Lies, damn lies, and tax figures
Another day in Parliament, another couple of politicians using selective numbers to support their arguments on tax figures
5th Apr 12, 9:42am
by Alex Tarrant
15
Another day in Parliament, another couple of politicians using selective numbers to support their arguments on tax figures
Housing NZ 'densifies and intensifies'
State house owner Housing New Zealand eyes density, intensification and concentration of Auckland housing portfolio
4th Apr 12, 1:32pm
by Alex Tarrant
3
State house owner Housing New Zealand eyes density, intensification and concentration of Auckland housing portfolio
Tax take better, but still below forecast
Crown's tax take improves in Feb, but still 2.3% below forecast for first 8 months of financial year
4th Apr 12, 10:00am
by Alex Tarrant
26
Crown's tax take improves in Feb, but still 2.3% below forecast for first 8 months of financial year
What SkyCity needs from convention centre deal
SkyCity would need at least 350 extra gambling machines for NZ$350 mln convention centre investment to be worth it, Goldman Sachs analyst says
3rd Apr 12, 3:45pm
by Alex Tarrant
12
SkyCity would need at least 350 extra gambling machines for NZ$350 mln convention centre investment to be worth it, Goldman Sachs analyst says
Housing squeeze in Canterbury
Average house sale asking prices hit record high in quake-hit Canterbury as unsold inventory in the region falls to nationwide low
2nd Apr 12, 6:18pm
by Alex Tarrant
30
Average house sale asking prices hit record high in quake-hit Canterbury as unsold inventory in the region falls to nationwide low
'NZ tax take well below forecast'
Treasury says tax take in current 2011/12 year 'well below forecast'; Sticks with expectation of 0.5% growth in March qtr
2nd Apr 12, 3:25pm
by Alex Tarrant
11
Treasury says tax take in current 2011/12 year 'well below forecast'; Sticks with expectation of 0.5% growth in March qtr