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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

Key tells jobless there are jobs
There are plenty of jobs if people look really hard, PM Key says; Uses example of employing overseas workers for harvest work
28th Feb 12, 7:49am
by Alex Tarrant
50
There are plenty of jobs if people look really hard, PM Key says; Uses example of employing overseas workers for harvest work
Final Crafar ruling 'may' take years
Ministers need to fully understand Overseas Investment law before making further decisions on Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar bid, Key says
27th Feb 12, 6:26pm
by Alex Tarrant
19
Ministers need to fully understand Overseas Investment law before making further decisions on Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar bid, Key says
NZ$10 carrot for teen parenting course
Govt to offer teen beneficiaries carrot of NZ$10 extra per week for completing 6 mths of training or education, or budgeting, parenting courses
27th Feb 12, 5:22pm
by Alex Tarrant
4
Govt to offer teen beneficiaries carrot of NZ$10 extra per week for completing 6 mths of training or education, or budgeting, parenting courses
Govt to RBNZ: Wanna be mates?
Govt policies targeting housing costs, electricity prices and council rates central to non-tradable inflation outlook; Is it finally becoming the Reserve Bank's mate?
23rd Feb 12, 12:52pm
by Alex Tarrant
20
Govt policies targeting housing costs, electricity prices and council rates central to non-tradable inflation outlook; Is it finally becoming the Reserve Bank's mate?
Kiwis more bullish on house prices
Growing number of NZers expecting house price rises over coming year, led by those in Auckland, Christchurch, RBNZ survey shows
22nd Feb 12, 3:58pm
by Alex Tarrant
27
Growing number of NZers expecting house price rises over coming year, led by those in Auckland, Christchurch, RBNZ survey shows
Pengxin takes aim at Fay's Crafar bid
Would-be Chinese Crafar farms buyer takes aim at rival 'rejected' bid by local Fay-led consortium; 'No-one could hold Fay group to investment promises'
21st Feb 12, 2:35pm
by Alex Tarrant
17
Would-be Chinese Crafar farms buyer takes aim at rival 'rejected' bid by local Fay-led consortium; 'No-one could hold Fay group to investment promises'
'Foreign investment laws may be tighter'
PM Key pessimistic that revised OIO decision on Crafar farms sale to Shanghai Pengxin will come this week; 'They need to be absolutely sure'
20th Feb 12, 8:13am
by Alex Tarrant
7
PM Key pessimistic that revised OIO decision on Crafar farms sale to Shanghai Pengxin will come this week; 'They need to be absolutely sure'
Fay group presents OIO its benefits
Michael Fay-led Crafar Farms purchase group tells OIO it will spend NZ$18 mln upgrading farms over three years; Doesn't shift on NZ$171.5 mln offer
17th Feb 12, 11:51am
by Alex Tarrant
17
Michael Fay-led Crafar Farms purchase group tells OIO it will spend NZ$18 mln upgrading farms over three years; Doesn't shift on NZ$171.5 mln offer
What's a hypothetical NZ farm buyer?
Overseas Investment Office has to revise Crafar farms decision by applying new test of what a hypothetical New Zealand buyer would do
16th Feb 12, 7:33pm
by Alex Tarrant
10
Overseas Investment Office has to revise Crafar farms decision by applying new test of what a hypothetical New Zealand buyer would do
Treasury cuts growth forecasts
NZ growth to be "somewhat weaker" over next four years, Treasury says; Interest rate track cut; Govt surplus of NZ$370m expected in 2014/15
16th Feb 12, 11:00am
by Alex Tarrant
43
NZ growth to be "somewhat weaker" over next four years, Treasury says; Interest rate track cut; Govt surplus of NZ$370m expected in 2014/15
Why doesn't Fay buy some other farms?
Opinion: Why doesn't Fay buy some up-to-scratch farms, and invest an extra NZ$14m making them even better? That would bring some real economic benefits
16th Feb 12, 9:58am
by Alex Tarrant
8
Opinion: Why doesn't Fay buy some up-to-scratch farms, and invest an extra NZ$14m making them even better? That would bring some real economic benefits
Kiwibank sees at least NZ$50m profit
Kiwibank expecting at least NZ$50 mln profit this year, up from NZ$21 mln last year; Earnings to be retained to help drive growth; Could lessen need for govt injection
15th Feb 12, 3:59pm
by Alex Tarrant
Kiwibank expecting at least NZ$50 mln profit this year, up from NZ$21 mln last year; Earnings to be retained to help drive growth; Could lessen need for govt injection
'New rules stifle NZ capital markets'
BusinessDesk: New finance company rules stifle New Zealand's capital markets, Chapman Tripp says
15th Feb 12, 1:13pm
by Alex Tarrant
BusinessDesk: New finance company rules stifle New Zealand's capital markets, Chapman Tripp says
NZ$ jumps on strong Dec retail sales
BusinessDesk: NZ retail sales grow more than expected in December quarter on supermarket, fuel demand; NZ$ jumps 30 pips on the news
15th Feb 12, 11:01am
by Alex Tarrant
1
BusinessDesk: NZ retail sales grow more than expected in December quarter on supermarket, fuel demand; NZ$ jumps 30 pips on the news
NZ Post wants Kiwibank growth
NZ Post says Kiwibank growth will place increasing demands on credit rating; Wants to keep rating for 3-5 yr minimum
14th Feb 12, 4:04pm
by Alex Tarrant
1
NZ Post says Kiwibank growth will place increasing demands on credit rating; Wants to keep rating for 3-5 yr minimum
Health, education to get Budget allowance
Health and education likely to eat up NZ$800 mln of new budget spending in Budget 2012, PM Key says; 'NZ's terms of trade set to remain high'
13th Feb 12, 4:59pm
by Alex Tarrant
Health and education likely to eat up NZ$800 mln of new budget spending in Budget 2012, PM Key says; 'NZ's terms of trade set to remain high'
NZ to be top 'developed country' in 2050
HSBC predicts NZ growth to average 3.1% annually over next 40 years; Says NZ to be fastest growing developed country by 2050. Your view?
13th Feb 12, 9:59am
by Alex Tarrant
13
HSBC predicts NZ growth to average 3.1% annually over next 40 years; Says NZ to be fastest growing developed country by 2050. Your view?
TSB cuts 1yr mortgage rate to NZ bank low
State-owned Kiwibank hikes one, three, four and five year term deposit rates by 5-10 basis points
13th Feb 12, 9:32am
by Alex Tarrant
State-owned Kiwibank hikes one, three, four and five year term deposit rates by 5-10 basis points
Key wary of higher costs for Aucklanders
PM Key welcomes discussion on Auckland transport funding, but is wary of higher insurance costs already faced by households. Your view?
13th Feb 12, 8:34am
by Alex Tarrant
36
PM Key welcomes discussion on Auckland transport funding, but is wary of higher insurance costs already faced by households. Your view?
Quake impact beyond ChCh massive
Multi-billion dollar costs of earthquake strengthening and higher insurance premiums beyond Christchurch only now dawning on landlords, tenants and insurers
10th Feb 12, 3:08pm
by Alex Tarrant
10
Multi-billion dollar costs of earthquake strengthening and higher insurance premiums beyond Christchurch only now dawning on landlords, tenants and insurers
Landcorp sells farm for lifestyle blocks
Landcorp to divide Northland sheep and beef farm into coastal lifestyle blocks and sell to highest bidders. Your view?
10th Feb 12, 10:10am
by Alex Tarrant
8
Landcorp to divide Northland sheep and beef farm into coastal lifestyle blocks and sell to highest bidders. Your view?
Full time jobs fall 13,000 in Dec qtr
NZ Unemployment falls to 6.3% in Dec qtr from 6.6% in Sept; Economists had expected around 6.5%
9th Feb 12, 10:57am
by Alex Tarrant
13
NZ Unemployment falls to 6.3% in Dec qtr from 6.6% in Sept; Economists had expected around 6.5%
Govt urged to release SOE sale advice
Greens push govt to release advice that it can favour NZ investors over foreigners in SOE share sales, despite international treaty obligations
7th Feb 12, 3:45pm
by Alex Tarrant
6
Greens push govt to release advice that it can favour NZ investors over foreigners in SOE share sales, despite international treaty obligations
Barfoots says strongest Jan in 4 yrs
Auckland real estate agent Barfoot and Thompson reports strongest January sales in four years; 683 sales up 21% from last year
3rd Feb 12, 10:31am
by Alex Tarrant
28
Auckland real estate agent Barfoot and Thompson reports strongest January sales in four years; 683 sales up 21% from last year
A plan for Auckland's housing crisis
Department of Building and Housing recommends policy changes to make it easier to build medium density housing in Auckland to help with shortage, affordability
3rd Feb 12, 9:45am
by Alex Tarrant
157
Department of Building and Housing recommends policy changes to make it easier to build medium density housing in Auckland to help with shortage, affordability