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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

Economists retreat to Dec OCR hike
Global market turmoil means Bollard's next OCR hike (again) likely in December, not September, BNZ says
10th Aug 11, 11:34am
by Alex Tarrant
7
Global market turmoil means Bollard's next OCR hike (again) likely in December, not September, BNZ says
Key holds line as Aussies worry
Australian PM Gillard says track to surplus more challenging given market turmoil, following Aussie market crash, calls for rate cut
9th Aug 11, 4:55pm
by Alex Tarrant
33
Australian PM Gillard says track to surplus more challenging given market turmoil, following Aussie market crash, calls for rate cut
Fed Farmers against price inquiry
Federated Farmers against Parliamentary milk price inquiry, says govt should look at all kinds of other price rises as well if it goes ahead
9th Aug 11, 1:24pm
by Alex Tarrant
10
Federated Farmers against Parliamentary milk price inquiry, says govt should look at all kinds of other price rises as well if it goes ahead
Consumers spend more on eating out
Rise in hospitality spending sees value of card spending on core retail rise 0.5% in July from June, Stats NZ says
9th Aug 11, 11:02am
by Alex Tarrant
Rise in hospitality spending sees value of card spending on core retail rise 0.5% in July from June, Stats NZ says
Market plunge doesn't shake Key
NZ PM Key still upbeat on NZ growth on the morning after global markets plunged 5% on global recession fears
9th Aug 11, 8:02am
by Alex Tarrant
37
NZ PM Key still upbeat on NZ growth on the morning after global markets plunged 5% on global recession fears
Key still optimistic on NZ growth
PM Key still optimistic NZ economy can grow in line with Treasury forecasts, following global market turmoil, US rating downgrade
8th Aug 11, 5:06pm
by Alex Tarrant
20
PM Key still optimistic NZ economy can grow in line with Treasury forecasts, following global market turmoil, US rating downgrade
'S&P won't worry if we borrow a bit more'
Labour's Goff unfazed about need to borrow more than National in short-term, says ratings agencies would look at better long-term debt track
8th Aug 11, 3:49pm
by Alex Tarrant
6
Labour's Goff unfazed about need to borrow more than National in short-term, says ratings agencies would look at better long-term debt track
NZ$ to hit US90c - Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs revises up NZ$ track to US90c in a year's time, even though NZ economic growth to be lower than first thought
8th Aug 11, 1:51pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
Goldman Sachs revises up NZ$ track to US90c in a year's time, even though NZ economic growth to be lower than first thought
NZ on path to end up like Greece, US - NZIER
NZIER warns on NZ's rotting fiscal core; Says NZ could end up like Greece, US in 10-15 years as deficit & debt balloons as population ages
8th Aug 11, 1:16pm
by Alex Tarrant
11
NZIER warns on NZ's rotting fiscal core; Says NZ could end up like Greece, US in 10-15 years as deficit & debt balloons as population ages
NZ OK as it met S&P's demands - Key
NZ well placed to deal with global market fallout having met S&P demands, although outcome unclear if US falls back into recession, PM Key says
8th Aug 11, 8:12am
by Alex Tarrant
27
NZ well placed to deal with global market fallout having met S&P demands, although outcome unclear if US falls back into recession, PM Key says
NZ bank funding costs to rise
NZ bank funding costs to rise as a result of latest market turmoil, BNZ CEO Thorburn says; Supports move towards compulsory savings
8th Aug 11, 7:36am
by Alex Tarrant
13
NZ bank funding costs to rise as a result of latest market turmoil, BNZ CEO Thorburn says; Supports move towards compulsory savings
Alex's politico-economic blogroll
Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Matt Nolan defends NZ monetary policy; Farmers driving National's economic policy?; Pros and cons of a high NZ$; Kerr on rates rises
5th Aug 11, 4:45pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
Alex's politico-economic blogroll: Matt Nolan defends NZ monetary policy; Farmers driving National's economic policy?; Pros and cons of a high NZ$; Kerr on rates rises
National, Labour clash on monetary policy
English and Parker clash in Parliament over whether NZ monetary policy is best practice, the high NZ dollar, and how to fix it
5th Aug 11, 4:34pm
by Alex Tarrant
English and Parker clash in Parliament over whether NZ monetary policy is best practice, the high NZ dollar, and how to fix it
Rabo hikes deposit rates, SBS cuts
RaboDirect hikes 2 year deposit rate to market-leading 5%, also hikes 1 yr rate; SBS cuts 1 yr term deposit rate
5th Aug 11, 11:38am
by Alex Tarrant
2
RaboDirect hikes 2 year deposit rate to market-leading 5%, also hikes 1 yr rate; SBS cuts 1 yr term deposit rate
Unemployment steady at 6.5%
Stats NZ says unemployment rate steady at 6.5% in June qtr; in line with economist expectations
4th Aug 11, 10:53am
by Alex Tarrant
16
Stats NZ says unemployment rate steady at 6.5% in June qtr; in line with economist expectations
Govt borrows NZ$700 mln in 1 week
Govt debt front-loading 'over,' although DMO quietly borrows NZ$700m as foreign investors flock to NZ amid global crises
3rd Aug 11, 6:01pm
by Alex Tarrant
14
Govt debt front-loading 'over,' although DMO quietly borrows NZ$700m as foreign investors flock to NZ amid global crises
Lockwood banishes English over CGT
Finance Minister English ejected from Question Time in Parliament as debate over Labour's capital gains tax policy gets heated
3rd Aug 11, 3:07pm
by Alex Tarrant
9
Finance Minister English ejected from Question Time in Parliament as debate over Labour's capital gains tax policy gets heated
US, EU may hit NZ economy - English
Finance Minister English says EU sovereign debt crisis, possible US downgrade, still dangers for NZ borrowing, exports
3rd Aug 11, 9:45am
by Alex Tarrant
3
Finance Minister English says EU sovereign debt crisis, possible US downgrade, still dangers for NZ borrowing, exports
Support for 10 yr census - Williamson
Support out there for 10 yr census, as Stats NZ undertakes review of moving from 5 yr cycle, Statistics Minister Williamson says
2nd Aug 11, 4:09pm
by Alex Tarrant
2
Support out there for 10 yr census, as Stats NZ undertakes review of moving from 5 yr cycle, Statistics Minister Williamson says
'Red zone offer popular' - Brownlee
More than half of households in Christchurch red zone have given go ahead for government to offer to buy homes, Brownlee says
2nd Aug 11, 10:46am
by Alex Tarrant
6
More than half of households in Christchurch red zone have given go ahead for government to offer to buy homes, Brownlee says
Key against NZ$ intervention
Key says high NZ$ tough for exporters, but he doesn't want to punt taxpayers' money on intervention when success is no certainty
2nd Aug 11, 7:50am
by Alex Tarrant
3
Key says high NZ$ tough for exporters, but he doesn't want to punt taxpayers' money on intervention when success is no certainty
Obama, Geithner, Bernanke...and Key
Obama, Geithner, Bernanke told Key about benefits of high currency; 'Best way NZ govt can help exporters is helping them be more competitive'
1st Aug 11, 6:58pm
by Alex Tarrant
38
Obama, Geithner, Bernanke told Key about benefits of high currency; 'Best way NZ govt can help exporters is helping them be more competitive'
Key eyes KiwiSaver soft complusion
Goff hints at universal savings policy that goes further than KiwiSaver, which was universally available but not universally taken up
1st Aug 11, 2:55pm
by Alex Tarrant
29
Goff hints at universal savings policy that goes further than KiwiSaver, which was universally available but not universally taken up
High NZ$ hits export returns in July
NZ commodity export prices down 0.1% in July from June in world price terms; down 3.7% in NZ$ terms as Kiwi strengthens, ANZ says
1st Aug 11, 1:28pm
by Alex Tarrant
NZ commodity export prices down 0.1% in July from June in world price terms; down 3.7% in NZ$ terms as Kiwi strengthens, ANZ says
Auckland house listings at 4 yr low
Auckland house sale inventory levels at four year low as market creeps toward spring buying season, realestate.co.nz says
1st Aug 11, 10:16am
by Alex Tarrant
129
Auckland house sale inventory levels at four year low as market creeps toward spring buying season, realestate.co.nz says