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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

'Come and inspect any facility you want'
China's Huawei still wants involvement in Aussie broadband; 'Never envisage putting our infrastructure into Parliament or Department of Defence'
2nd Apr 12, 12:50pm
by Alex Tarrant
China's Huawei still wants involvement in Aussie broadband; 'Never envisage putting our infrastructure into Parliament or Department of Defence'
Possibility of 2012 'zero' Budget
Budget 2012 to be zero, or very close to zero budget, as govt tries to reach 2014/15 surplus, PM Key says
2nd Apr 12, 7:31am
by Alex Tarrant
36
Budget 2012 to be zero, or very close to zero budget, as govt tries to reach 2014/15 surplus, PM Key says
Govt eyes commissions
Govt eyes Aussie, UK bans of financial advisor commissions; But any such NZ move, if there is one, might be 4 years off
30th Mar 12, 3:25pm
by Alex Tarrant
Govt eyes Aussie, UK bans of financial advisor commissions; But any such NZ move, if there is one, might be 4 years off
Consents fall in Feb, but trend still up
Number of building consents issued in February falls 6.7% from Jan, upward trend slowing, Stats NZ says; 27 quake-related consents in Feb
30th Mar 12, 11:00am
by Alex Tarrant
40
Number of building consents issued in February falls 6.7% from Jan, upward trend slowing, Stats NZ says; 27 quake-related consents in Feb
Govt happy with quake housing actions
Govt comfortable with current interventions in Christchurch housing market, but always open to ideas, Housing Minister Heatley says
29th Mar 12, 5:14pm
by Alex Tarrant
84
Govt comfortable with current interventions in Christchurch housing market, but always open to ideas, Housing Minister Heatley says
'You can't just jack up prices if private'
'You can't just jack up prices because you've become partially privately owned,' Meridian CEO says
29th Mar 12, 12:55pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
'You can't just jack up prices because you've become partially privately owned,' Meridian CEO says
Adams needs to ask questions
Opinion: Comms & IT Minister Amy Adams needs to start asking questions about Huawei; To say it's inappropriate to is just a way of dodging her responsibilities
29th Mar 12, 10:25am
by Alex Tarrant
50
Opinion: Comms & IT Minister Amy Adams needs to start asking questions about Huawei; To say it's inappropriate to is just a way of dodging her responsibilities
IRD cuts tax interest rates
IRD cuts underpaid and overpaid tax rates; You'll now be charged only 8.4% instead of 8.89% for any underpaid tax
29th Mar 12, 9:29am
by Alex Tarrant
IRD cuts underpaid and overpaid tax rates; You'll now be charged only 8.4% instead of 8.89% for any underpaid tax
'Not appropriate to ask about Huawei'
Comms and IT Minister Adams says not appropriate for her to ask Australian authorities why Huawei was banned from Aussie broadband contracts
28th Mar 12, 5:14pm
by Alex Tarrant
8
Comms and IT Minister Adams says not appropriate for her to ask Australian authorities why Huawei was banned from Aussie broadband contracts
Did finco's delay info while peddling loans?
Timeliness of info flow from finance companies to trustees, and from trustees to RBNZ, questioned in deposit guarantee scheme review
28th Mar 12, 11:42am
by Alex Tarrant
3
Timeliness of info flow from finance companies to trustees, and from trustees to RBNZ, questioned in deposit guarantee scheme review
Building consent process in sights
Council development levies, urban planning, building consent and inspection processes set to fall under Productivity Commission spotlight
27th Mar 12, 12:30pm
by Alex Tarrant
3
Council development levies, urban planning, building consent and inspection processes set to fall under Productivity Commission spotlight
NZ Broadband security concerns raised
Security issues around govt's broadband roll-out have been raised, govt dealt with them, Communications and IT Minister Adams says
27th Mar 12, 10:36am
by Alex Tarrant
24
Security issues around govt's broadband roll-out have been raised, govt dealt with them, Communications and IT Minister Adams says
No surprises in final housing report
Productivity Commission's final housing affordability report to look familiar to draft, but more emphasis in some areas
26th Mar 12, 5:31pm
by Alex Tarrant
83
Productivity Commission's final housing affordability report to look familiar to draft, but more emphasis in some areas
Key worried about Korean trade
NZ needs to secure trade deal with Korea as exporters face getting squeezed out due to others' FTAs, Key says
26th Mar 12, 3:27pm
by Alex Tarrant
5
NZ needs to secure trade deal with Korea as exporters face getting squeezed out due to others' FTAs, Key says
Kiwibank home loan 'special' ends
Kiwibank's special six-month home loan rate of 5.39% ends on Monday; Rate to rise back to 5.65%
23rd Mar 12, 2:59pm
by Alex Tarrant
1
Kiwibank's special six-month home loan rate of 5.39% ends on Monday; Rate to rise back to 5.65%
New temporary quake village
Earthquake Minister Brownlee announces new temporary village for quake-affected residents; 20 units now plus 43 to come
23rd Mar 12, 11:21am
by Alex Tarrant
10
Earthquake Minister Brownlee announces new temporary village for quake-affected residents; 20 units now plus 43 to come
No restrictions on SOE share sell-ons
No restrictions on who Kiwis can sell SOE shares to, but government still considering loyalty scheme; A lot still to be done, English says
22nd Mar 12, 4:58pm
by Alex Tarrant
22
No restrictions on who Kiwis can sell SOE shares to, but government still considering loyalty scheme; A lot still to be done, English says
Red-zone debate gets personal
Debate over govt red-zone offer gets personal as quake recovery Minister Brownlee and Christchurch Labour MP Dalziel clash over Dalziel's position
22nd Mar 12, 3:10pm
by Alex Tarrant
53
Debate over govt red-zone offer gets personal as quake recovery Minister Brownlee and Christchurch Labour MP Dalziel clash over Dalziel's position
GDP rise less than expected
NZ economy grows 0.3% in Dec qtr from Sept vs economist and RBNZ expectations of 0.6% growth; Strength in financial services & agriculture offset by manufacturing & govt falls
22nd Mar 12, 10:53am
by Alex Tarrant
41
NZ economy grows 0.3% in Dec qtr from Sept vs economist and RBNZ expectations of 0.6% growth; Strength in financial services & agriculture offset by manufacturing & govt falls
New record exodus to Aussie
New record net permanent departures to Australia of 39,112 in year to Feb; Most are Kiwis, Stats NZ says
21st Mar 12, 11:12am
by Alex Tarrant
65
New record net permanent departures to Australia of 39,112 in year to Feb; Most are Kiwis, Stats NZ says
'SOE floats must retain interest from wide sources'
Mighty River Power bookbuild needs to be conducted in way to maintain interest in SOE shares from range of bidders, English says
21st Mar 12, 10:18am
by Alex Tarrant
9
Mighty River Power bookbuild needs to be conducted in way to maintain interest in SOE shares from range of bidders, English says
'Invest more in teachers'
BusinessDesk: Treasury’s Makhlouf pushes for more investment in teachers
20th Mar 12, 4:01pm
by Alex Tarrant
BusinessDesk: Treasury’s Makhlouf pushes for more investment in teachers
Why NZ's fresh water is polluted
Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment releases report on water quality in NZ; Solutions to follow
20th Mar 12, 1:38pm
by Alex Tarrant
15
Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment releases report on water quality in NZ; Solutions to follow
'Auckland needs cheaper new homes'
Auckland needs cheaper new homes built as affordability worsens, Department of Building and Housing says
20th Mar 12, 12:29pm
by Alex Tarrant
61
Auckland needs cheaper new homes built as affordability worsens, Department of Building and Housing says
Productivity Commission eyes urban limits
Productivity Commission’s latest gig to look at local govt productivity, regulation, and what central govt could do; MULs in sights again
20th Mar 12, 9:23am
by Alex Tarrant
35
Productivity Commission’s latest gig to look at local govt productivity, regulation, and what central govt could do; MULs in sights again