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.

Email Alex

Member for

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Alex's politico-economic blogroll

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Why the mixed ownership model doesn't work; Labour World Cup coup?; Matt Nolan's tax policy; 'Future' aging population problem here now; Cartoons

9th Sep 11, 9:19am

by Alex Tarrant

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Why the mixed ownership model doesn't work; Labour World Cup coup?; Matt Nolan's tax policy; 'Future' aging population problem here now; Cartoons

Minimum wage model to be reviewed

Department of Labour to evaluate 15 yr old model used to review minimum wage, given new research and renewed interest in updating study

8th Sep 11, 12:32pm

by Alex Tarrant

Department of Labour to evaluate 15 yr old model used to review minimum wage, given new research and renewed interest in updating study

No 2011 NZIER economist of the year

NZIER Economist of the Year award not presented in 2011, as nominees don't meet criteria of research leading to lasting NZ economic benefits

7th Sep 11, 1:33pm

by Alex Tarrant

NZIER Economist of the Year award not presented in 2011, as nominees don't meet criteria of research leading to lasting NZ economic benefits

Homeowners stuck with EQC top up tab

Replenishing EQC would be funded by homeowners through insurance policies, as all taxpayers are already paying quake costs, English says

6th Sep 11, 4:35pm

by Alex Tarrant

Replenishing EQC would be funded by homeowners through insurance policies, as all taxpayers are already paying quake costs, English says

Offshore competition hit Huhtamaki

Overseas competition, falling productivity, decade of losses led to closure of Huhtamaki manufacturing plant in Auckland, 135 job losses

6th Sep 11, 4:24pm

by Alex Tarrant

Overseas competition, falling productivity, decade of losses led to closure of Huhtamaki manufacturing plant in Auckland, 135 job losses

'NZ$1b tag on EQC ruling worst-case'

Government hopes possible NZ$1 bln price tag on High Court's EQC ruling is worst-case scenario, Finance Minister English says

6th Sep 11, 11:43am

by Alex Tarrant

Government hopes possible NZ$1 bln price tag on High Court's EQC ruling is worst-case scenario, Finance Minister English says

Should govt be insurer of last resort?

Labour's Goff calls on govt to say if it's considered being insurer of last resort in Christchurch; English downplays idea, but all options still on table

6th Sep 11, 11:00am

by Alex Tarrant

Labour's Goff calls on govt to say if it's considered being insurer of last resort in Christchurch; English downplays idea, but all options still on table

Labour critical, but offers no solution

Labour criticises govt over red-zone payout back-down, but can offer no solution of its own; Says still working on earthquake policy

5th Sep 11, 4:51pm

by Alex Tarrant

Labour criticises govt over red-zone payout back-down, but can offer no solution of its own; Says still working on earthquake policy

9,700 Port Hills properties green zoned

Almost 10,000 Port Hills properties zoned green, although CERA still undecided on 4,000; Govt announces new trades academy, more places

5th Sep 11, 3:50pm

by Alex Tarrant

Almost 10,000 Port Hills properties zoned green, although CERA still undecided on 4,000; Govt announces new trades academy, more places

NZ Budget risks lean to downside

Treasury looking at downward revision of NZ Budget growth forecasts due to weaker international outlook & increased global risks

5th Sep 11, 2:55pm

by Alex Tarrant

Treasury looking at downward revision of NZ Budget growth forecasts due to weaker international outlook & increased global risks

'No one knows how much quakes will cost'

PM Key says no one knows how much final quake damage will cost, as overall bill rises toward NZ$25 billion and bad news keeps coming for EQC

5th Sep 11, 7:47am

by Alex Tarrant

PM Key says no one knows how much final quake damage will cost, as overall bill rises toward NZ$25 billion and bad news keeps coming for EQC

Goldman sees first OCR hike in March

First OCR hike will be March 2012 due to global volatility, even though NZ data looks good, Goldman Sachs economist Philip Borkin says

2nd Sep 11, 3:35pm

by Alex Tarrant

First OCR hike will be March 2012 due to global volatility, even though NZ data looks good, Goldman Sachs economist Philip Borkin says

Alex's politico-economic blogroll

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Fran jumps Bernard's nationalism shark; Reaction to Labour's youth jobs policy (back to the 1980s); Milk price calculator; Best goal ever

2nd Sep 11, 2:55pm

by Alex Tarrant

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Fran jumps Bernard's nationalism shark; Reaction to Labour's youth jobs policy (back to the 1980s); Milk price calculator; Best goal ever

Big TPP negotiations still to come

Big US free trade deal issues like agriculture, tech, Pharmac still to be dealt with, as talks on smaller issues intensify

1st Sep 11, 5:33pm

by Alex Tarrant

Big US free trade deal issues like agriculture, tech, Pharmac still to be dealt with, as talks on smaller issues intensify

'24,000 youth in jobs/training in 3 yrs'

Labour announces NZ$251 mln youth jobs/skills policy aimed at getting 24,000 under-20s in employment or training within 3 yrs

1st Sep 11, 12:05pm

by Alex Tarrant

Labour announces NZ$251 mln youth jobs/skills policy aimed at getting 24,000 under-20s in employment or training within 3 yrs

'Don't hike OCR till June' - NZIER

First OCR hike should be in June 2012 due to Aussie slowdown, global growth fears and high NZ dollar, NZIER economist Eaqub says

31st Aug 11, 1:05pm

by Alex Tarrant

First OCR hike should be in June 2012 due to Aussie slowdown, global growth fears and high NZ dollar, NZIER economist Eaqub says

'Get over it (the currency, that is)'

Pipfruit NZ CEO says industry needs to accept govt's position on currency 'is what it is' and focus is on areas it can change

30th Aug 11, 4:05pm

by Alex Tarrant

Pipfruit NZ CEO says industry needs to accept govt's position on currency 'is what it is' and focus is on areas it can change

EQC quake costs hiked to NZ$7.1b

EQC quake liabilities more than double to NZ$7.1 bln, up by NZ$4 bln; Finance Minister Bill English still eyes 2014/15 govt surplus

30th Aug 11, 9:16am

by Alex Tarrant

EQC quake liabilities more than double to NZ$7.1 bln, up by NZ$4 bln; Finance Minister Bill English still eyes 2014/15 govt surplus

'NZ can't ignore fossil fuel potential'

Energy Minister Parata says NZ cannot ignore economic potential of fossil fuel resources due to global demand, eyes further exploration

30th Aug 11, 8:36am

by Alex Tarrant

Energy Minister Parata says NZ cannot ignore economic potential of fossil fuel resources due to global demand, eyes further exploration

Youth rates would hit $2/hr - Key

Cutting the minimum wage to what the market could bear would lead to some very low wage rates in New Zealand, PM Key says

29th Aug 11, 8:24am

by Alex Tarrant

132

Cutting the minimum wage to what the market could bear would lead to some very low wage rates in New Zealand, PM Key says

Alex's politico-economic blogroll

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Why SOE sales are a good idea; Why we need to mine more; Nolan defends forecasters; The left welcomes Bernard; RBNZ ready to intervene?

26th Aug 11, 3:54pm

by Alex Tarrant

Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Why SOE sales are a good idea; Why we need to mine more; Nolan defends forecasters; The left welcomes Bernard; RBNZ ready to intervene?

'NZ recovery good, but OCR on hold til Dec'

Retail sales figures show domestic recovery firming as Reserve Bank wanted, but global risks still mean OCR on hold until December, economists say

25th Aug 11, 12:35pm

by Alex Tarrant

Retail sales figures show domestic recovery firming as Reserve Bank wanted, but global risks still mean OCR on hold until December, economists say

Food price inflation 7.9% in yr to July

Food prices rise 2% in July from June, up 7.9% from a year ago, boosted by tomato, meat prices, Stats NZ figures show

25th Aug 11, 11:03am

by Alex Tarrant

Food prices rise 2% in July from June, up 7.9% from a year ago, boosted by tomato, meat prices, Stats NZ figures show

ACT's Brash hits out at KiwiSaver

ACT leader Brash hits out at KiwiSaver and urban limits; says raise pension age; get rid of youth minimum wage, ETS and RMA. Your view?

25th Aug 11, 10:48am

by Alex Tarrant

ACT leader Brash hits out at KiwiSaver and urban limits; says raise pension age; get rid of youth minimum wage, ETS and RMA. Your view?

Surprise trade surplus in July

NZ records merchandise trade surplus of NZ$129 million in July, first July surplus since 1991, above expectations for NZ$100 million deficit

24th Aug 11, 10:59am

by Alex Tarrant

NZ records merchandise trade surplus of NZ$129 million in July, first July surplus since 1991, above expectations for NZ$100 million deficit