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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.

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Member for

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Treasury wants big policy reform
BusinessDesk: Treasury calls for "wide and ambitious" policy reform; Wants banks' capital buffers increased, and tax changes to encourage saving
2nd Feb 12, 2:42pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
BusinessDesk: Treasury calls for "wide and ambitious" policy reform; Wants banks' capital buffers increased, and tax changes to encourage saving
Treasury wants housing supply help
Treasury tells government to improve responsiveness of housing supply as one way to help reduce interest and exchange rate rises
2nd Feb 12, 1:11pm
by Alex Tarrant
5
Treasury tells government to improve responsiveness of housing supply as one way to help reduce interest and exchange rate rises
RBNZ tones down rate hike view
OCR to rise gradually over next 18 months if global developments only have mild impact on NZ, Reserve Bank tells govt in briefing paper
2nd Feb 12, 11:18am
by Alex Tarrant
2
OCR to rise gradually over next 18 months if global developments only have mild impact on NZ, Reserve Bank tells govt in briefing paper
Why Labour is fine with some foreign buyers
Labour OK with foreign land purchases as long as new owner lives in NZ, but absentee owners big no-no, finance spokesman Parker says
1st Feb 12, 5:52pm
by Alex Tarrant
12
Labour OK with foreign land purchases as long as new owner lives in NZ, but absentee owners big no-no, finance spokesman Parker says
Govt resigned to NZ$ over 80 USc
English says exporters need to get used to NZ$ around 80 USc; high currency good for consumers and importers
1st Feb 12, 12:01pm
by Alex Tarrant
11
English says exporters need to get used to NZ$ around 80 USc; high currency good for consumers and importers
'Monetary policy don't matter no more'
English says monetary policy doesn't matter much anymore because inflation is beaten; focus on other things
1st Feb 12, 11:36am
by Alex Tarrant
35
English says monetary policy doesn't matter much anymore because inflation is beaten; focus on other things
Key against looser inflation target
PM Key says RBNZ's 1-3% inflation target 'at the right place'; Does not want to see the Bank given more room to move on inflation front
31st Jan 12, 5:33pm
by Alex Tarrant
6
PM Key says RBNZ's 1-3% inflation target 'at the right place'; Does not want to see the Bank given more room to move on inflation front
Graeme Hart farms slowly being sold
Carter Holt Harvey's 29 Central North Island dairy conversions slowly being sold; Nine gone so far at asking prices; All to NZers
31st Jan 12, 3:50pm
by Alex Tarrant
Carter Holt Harvey's 29 Central North Island dairy conversions slowly being sold; Nine gone so far at asking prices; All to NZers
Lowest calendar year for building consents
Building consents granted for 13,662 new dwellings in 2011, lowest level in 46 year series history, Stats NZ figures show
31st Jan 12, 11:12am
by Alex Tarrant
96
Building consents granted for 13,662 new dwellings in 2011, lowest level in 46 year series history, Stats NZ figures show
Key: High NZ$ won't go away
PM Key says NZ dollar hurting exporters in new band above 75 US cents, and not going to reverse anytime soon
30th Jan 12, 1:11pm
by Alex Tarrant
50
PM Key says NZ dollar hurting exporters in new band above 75 US cents, and not going to reverse anytime soon
Bollard to step down in September
Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard won't seek third term at helm of central bank, will step down in September
30th Jan 12, 10:53am
by Alex Tarrant
15
Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard won't seek third term at helm of central bank, will step down in September
'No need for foreign investment law change'
Law change to make foreign ownership of NZ land harder would be knee-jerk reaction to Crafar sale, and not needed now, Key says
30th Jan 12, 8:44am
by Alex Tarrant
8
Law change to make foreign ownership of NZ land harder would be knee-jerk reaction to Crafar sale, and not needed now, Key says
Investor Plus funds in govt bonds
Figures show 60% of investments made by would-be residents (including Kim Dotcom) under 'Investor Plus' immigration scheme put into NZ govt bonds
27th Jan 12, 12:48pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
Figures show 60% of investments made by would-be residents (including Kim Dotcom) under 'Investor Plus' immigration scheme put into NZ govt bonds
Chinese bid for Crafar farms accepted
Govt Ministers rubber stamp Overseas Investment Office approval of Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar farms bid
27th Jan 12, 11:23am
by Alex Tarrant
173
Govt Ministers rubber stamp Overseas Investment Office approval of Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar farms bid
Govt deficit 6% worse than forecast
Govt operating deficit before gains and losses in yr to November 6% worse than PREFU forecast due to lower tax take, Treasury says
27th Jan 12, 10:01am
by Alex Tarrant
15
Govt operating deficit before gains and losses in yr to November 6% worse than PREFU forecast due to lower tax take, Treasury says
Govt could tighten foreign farm buying rules
PM Key says govt would consider further tightening of foreign investment rules if it expected a wholesale buy-up of NZ farms
26th Jan 12, 3:56pm
by Alex Tarrant
17
PM Key says govt would consider further tightening of foreign investment rules if it expected a wholesale buy-up of NZ farms
Treasury lowers 2014/15 surplus forecast
Treasury expecting NZ$300-500 million surplus in 2014/15; Lower than PREFU forecast for NZ$1.45 billion, PM Key says
26th Jan 12, 11:45am
by Alex Tarrant
26
Treasury expecting NZ$300-500 million surplus in 2014/15; Lower than PREFU forecast for NZ$1.45 billion, PM Key says
Key coy on surplus expectation
PM Key won't reiterate 2014/15 surplus track at Post-Cabinet press conference on Wednesday, says wait for details from Thursday speech
25th Jan 12, 5:25pm
by Alex Tarrant
15
PM Key won't reiterate 2014/15 surplus track at Post-Cabinet press conference on Wednesday, says wait for details from Thursday speech
Decision on Crafar sale not coming today
Ministerial decision on Chinese bid for Crafar farms won't be today as Fay court hearing looms
25th Jan 12, 12:27pm
by Alex Tarrant
1
Ministerial decision on Chinese bid for Crafar farms won't be today as Fay court hearing looms
Fonterra attacks new govt milk regulation
Fonterra attacks government's proposed Dairy Act changes that will see it forced to supply another 200 mln litres of milk to competitors
24th Jan 12, 2:53pm
by Alex Tarrant
17
Fonterra attacks government's proposed Dairy Act changes that will see it forced to supply another 200 mln litres of milk to competitors
Key optimistic about Euro crisis
PM Key starts new year more optimistic than others on Euro debt crisis, sees no reason to alter plans for mixed-ownership SOE share sales
23rd Jan 12, 9:27am
by Alex Tarrant
20
PM Key starts new year more optimistic than others on Euro debt crisis, sees no reason to alter plans for mixed-ownership SOE share sales
'Farm sales had strong finish to 2011'
Farm sales finish 2011 strongly on low interest rates, good growing conditions, rising incomes and offshore interest, REINZ says
20th Jan 12, 3:15pm
by Alex Tarrant
1
Farm sales finish 2011 strongly on low interest rates, good growing conditions, rising incomes and offshore interest, REINZ says
Chinese Crafar bid decision likely soon
Overseas Investment Office decision on Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar bid highly likely to come before receiver's January 31 deadline
20th Jan 12, 11:16am
by Alex Tarrant
17
Overseas Investment Office decision on Shanghai Pengxin's Crafar bid highly likely to come before receiver's January 31 deadline
Will the IMF want more NZ money?
Alex Tarrant asks what could be in store for New Zealand following the IMF saying it wants another US$500-600 billion boost
19th Jan 12, 6:01pm
by Alex Tarrant
17
Alex Tarrant asks what could be in store for New Zealand following the IMF saying it wants another US$500-600 billion boost
Huge downside inflation surprise
CPI falls 0.3% in Dec quarter vs economist expectations for 0.4% rise; Annual inflation 1.8% vs 2.6% expected
19th Jan 12, 10:55am
by Alex Tarrant
112
CPI falls 0.3% in Dec quarter vs economist expectations for 0.4% rise; Annual inflation 1.8% vs 2.6% expected