Bernard Hickey | interest.co.nz

About

Bernard is back as a senior contributor on interest.co.nz. Until September 30, 2012 he was the managing editor here. He had previously worked for 18 years for Reuters, the FT Group and Fairfax as a financial journalist and editor. He is now the publisher of The Kaka.

Member for

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Businesses confident about themselves, but not NZ

NZIER QSBO shows confidence about economy at lowest since March 2011, but businesses confident about themselves; Inflation pressures at 16 yr low; Net 6% of firms cut prices

6th Oct 15, 10:00am

by Bernard Hickey

NZIER QSBO shows confidence about economy at lowest since March 2011, but businesses confident about themselves; Inflation pressures at 16 yr low; Net 6% of firms cut prices

Key sees NZ$2.7 bln/yr of TPP gains

TPP deal finally done; PM says deal eliminates tariffs for 93% of NZ exports to US, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Peru; Dairy companies disappointed with deal; Beef tariffs removed; drug costs to rise

6th Oct 15, 7:50am

by Bernard Hickey

TPP deal finally done; PM says deal eliminates tariffs for 93% of NZ exports to US, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Peru; Dairy companies disappointed with deal; Beef tariffs removed; drug costs to rise

TPP appears close to being done

Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement near completion; Drug patents and auto parts access deals said done; dairy access for NZ still in the air; News conference delayed to 1 pm NZT

5th Oct 15, 10:17am

by Bernard Hickey

Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement near completion; Drug patents and auto parts access deals said done; dairy access for NZ still in the air; News conference delayed to 1 pm NZT

The dangers of group think

Bernard Hickey argues the Reserve Bank needs to adopt a Bank of England style monetary policy making committee with expert external members able to argue in public

4th Oct 15, 5:02am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey argues the Reserve Bank needs to adopt a Bank of England style monetary policy making committee with expert external members able to argue in public

Bernard's Top 10

Bernard's Top 10: Will ageing populations rekindle wage inflation and solve inequality?; China's massive money supply growth and the potential for capital flight to global property; Clarke and Dawe

30th Sep 15, 12:29pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10: Will ageing populations rekindle wage inflation and solve inequality?; China's massive money supply growth and the potential for capital flight to global property; Clarke and Dawe

Church ridicules English's Auckland crash warning

Property Institute CEO says English's Auckland housing crash warning 'unhelpful' and equivalent to 'reading chicken entrails'; says Auckland nothing like US market; Auckland prices go up, but don't slump, he says

30th Sep 15, 9:59am

by Bernard Hickey

English eyes what would cause Auckland housing crash

English bemoans effects of Council planning and infrastructure decisions on housing affordability and inequality; wants more clarity for Councils on infrastructure incentives

29th Sep 15, 5:20pm

by Bernard Hickey

English bemoans effects of Council planning and infrastructure decisions on housing affordability and inequality; wants more clarity for Councils on infrastructure incentives

High Court reverses FMA deregistration of Wewege's Vivier

High Court rules in favour of Vivier appeal of FMA deregistration from Financial Services Provider Register; FMA criticised for using 'scanty' information; Court rules FMA breached Vivier's natural justice rights

28th Sep 15, 8:09pm

by Bernard Hickey

Is migration making us richer or poorer?

Bernard Hickey calls for a Productivity Commission Inquiry into whether record high migration actually improves per-capita GDP in the long run. The latest data suggests it's not working for the economy or the Government

27th Sep 15, 5:02am

by Bernard Hickey

English takes swipe at NZ Super Fund on contributions

Finance Minister says inevitable that NZ Super Fund will make big losses at some point; criticises fund for wanting billions more to manage; says NZ Super gap will be filled by 15 yrs of spending restraint

24th Sep 15, 2:56pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10

Bernard's Top 10: China fires up its real estate bubble machine again; Have Sydney and Auckland's housing markets peaked?; Who makes the most from a can of infant formula? Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

23rd Sep 15, 12:55pm

by Bernard Hickey

Smith eyes more self-certification of new building

Smith looking at extending exemptions for registered builders to self-certify some types of building work; also looking at new building guarantee scheme to deal with liability on self-certified work

22nd Sep 15, 1:48pm

by Bernard Hickey

Smith looking at extending exemptions for registered builders to self-certify some types of building work; also looking at new building guarantee scheme to deal with liability on self-certified work

Key defends policy allowing record high migration

PM says record high net migration a "vote of confidence" in NZ; says housing issues "can take care of themselves"; effect on unemployment and wages "debateable."

21st Sep 15, 7:28pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM says record high net migration a "vote of confidence" in NZ; says housing issues "can take care of themselves"; effect on unemployment and wages "debateable."

What the backlash of 2029 might look like

Bernard Hickey looks ahead to the election of 2029 to see what the backlash of a generational change in power might look like

20th Sep 15, 5:00am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey looks ahead to the election of 2029 to see what the backlash of a generational change in power might look like

June qtr GDP growth weaker than expected

Statistics NZ reports GDP rose 0.4% in June qtr from March qtr; less than consensus and RBNZ forecast for 0.6% growth; weak exports drag; transport and warehousing also softest since 2009

17th Sep 15, 11:11am

by Bernard Hickey

Statistics NZ reports GDP rose 0.4% in June qtr from March qtr; less than consensus and RBNZ forecast for 0.6% growth; weak exports drag; transport and warehousing also softest since 2009

Govt blocks sale of Lochinver

Government blocks sale of Lochinver to Shanghai Pengxin on grounds any benefits aren't substantial and identifiable

17th Sep 15, 10:26am

by Bernard Hickey

Government blocks sale of Lochinver to Shanghai Pengxin on grounds any benefits aren't substantial and identifiable

Bernard's Top 10

Bernard's Top 10: The real sharing economy is dead; How Tony Abbott imploded; What a Fed rate hike would mean; Keating vs Hewson (rap duet style); Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

16th Sep 15, 1:55pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10: The real sharing economy is dead; How Tony Abbott imploded; What a Fed rate hike would mean; Keating vs Hewson (rap duet style); Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

English admits migration suppressing wage inflation

English agrees high migration, particularly of students and those on working holidays, has suppressed wage inflation; but sees migration flattening and says real wage growth stronger than elsewhere

15th Sep 15, 6:41pm

by Bernard Hickey

English agrees high migration, particularly of students and those on working holidays, has suppressed wage inflation; but sees migration flattening and says real wage growth stronger than elsewhere

A tragedy of the common rooms

The stresses on the rolls of the Grammar Zone schools can only really be fixed with a pricing signal, argues Bernard Hickey

13th Sep 15, 5:02am

by Bernard Hickey

The stresses on the rolls of the Grammar Zone schools can only really be fixed with a pricing signal, argues Bernard Hickey

RBNZ says Auckland house prices in "dangerous territory"

RBNZ's Wheeler says Auckland house price inflation over 25% in "dangerous territory" when price inflation should be 10% over 5 yrs "if RBNZ is doing its job"; Spencer says fast rise risks steep reversal

10th Sep 15, 3:24pm

by Bernard Hickey

RBNZ eyes one more cut

RBNZ cuts OCR by 0.25% to 2.75%; says some further easing likely; says further fall in NZ$ appropriate; 90 day forecast implies 1 more cut to 2.5%

10th Sep 15, 9:05am

by Bernard Hickey

RBNZ cuts OCR by 0.25% to 2.75%; says some further easing likely; says further fall in NZ$ appropriate; 90 day forecast implies 1 more cut to 2.5%

Should new apartments be ruled out of Grammar Zone?

Epsom MP David Seymour highlights growing pressure on Auckland Boys Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar rolls; suggest new apartment tenants be blocked from school places; or just not built

9th Sep 15, 6:18pm

by Bernard Hickey

Epsom MP David Seymour highlights growing pressure on Auckland Boys Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar rolls; suggest new apartment tenants be blocked from school places; or just not built

Bernard's Top 10

Bernard's Top 10: Why do some investors accept such low yields?; Earning US$2.2 mln a day; The slumlords of Queenstown; India's dirty tea leaves; The 'Chairman's flight' Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

9th Sep 15, 1:05pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10: Why do some investors accept such low yields?; Earning US$2.2 mln a day; The slumlords of Queenstown; India's dirty tea leaves; The 'Chairman's flight' Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

Our real national flag

Bernard Hickey asks why apparently rational investors borrowed over NZ$2 billion in 31 days to buy assets that make cash losses while very profitable businesses only borrowed NZ$12 million

6th Sep 15, 5:02am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey asks why apparently rational investors borrowed over NZ$2 billion in 31 days to buy assets that make cash losses while very profitable businesses only borrowed NZ$12 million

Bernard's Weekend Top 10

Bernard's Top 10: The problem with driverless cars is cars with drivers; The problem with NZ's low-skilled migrant policy; Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver

4th Sep 15, 4:31pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10: The problem with driverless cars is cars with drivers; The problem with NZ's low-skilled migrant policy; Clarke and Dawe; John Oliver