sign up log in
Want to go ad-free? Find out how, here.

Bernard Hickey

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

English hasn't heard young complaining about NZ Super
Finance Minister says he hasn't heard young people being worried about NZ Super affordability; Only Labour seems worried; Says 57% increase in SuperGold Card transport subsidies fair; may go on Waiheke trips
26th May 15, 1:18pm
by Bernard Hickey
52
Finance Minister says he hasn't heard young people being worried about NZ Super affordability; Only Labour seems worried; Says 57% increase in SuperGold Card transport subsidies fair; may go on Waiheke trips
Key denies he's being irresponsible on NZ Super
PM rejects Andrew Little's claim the Government is being irresponsible by refusing to acknowledge issue with affordability of NZ Super or allow a debate
25th May 15, 9:38pm
by Bernard Hickey
22
PM rejects Andrew Little's claim the Government is being irresponsible by refusing to acknowledge issue with affordability of NZ Super or allow a debate
Robin Hood, Little John and their band of merry actuaries
Bill English and John Key are taking money off the rich and giving it to the poor in Budget 2015 as part of National's investment-led approach to cut welfare spending over the very long run
24th May 15, 6:04am
by Bernard Hickey
76
Bill English and John Key are taking money off the rich and giving it to the poor in Budget 2015 as part of National's investment-led approach to cut welfare spending over the very long run
Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10: 'An incredible orgy of spending' (on art); The weight of (China's) money is coming; Don't worry about the robots; Clarke and Dawe on tit for tat politics; Dilbert
22nd May 15, 3:56pm
by Bernard Hickey
68
Bernard's Top 10: 'An incredible orgy of spending' (on art); The weight of (China's) money is coming; Don't worry about the robots; Clarke and Dawe on tit for tat politics; Dilbert
Labour eyes unfairness of workers collecting NZ Super
Labour's Andrew Little says rising cost of NZ Super 'scares the bejeesus out of me'; says unfair that those working over 65 get NZ Super when asked about means testing; but still committed to 65 retirement age
22nd May 15, 11:26am
by Bernard Hickey
86
Labour's Andrew Little says rising cost of NZ Super 'scares the bejeesus out of me'; says unfair that those working over 65 get NZ Super when asked about means testing; but still committed to 65 retirement age
Govt sees wafer thin surplus in 2015/16
Treasury forecasts NZ$176 million Budget surplus for 2015/16; Govt dumps NZ$1,000 kick start for new KiwiSaver members; Benefits and Working For Family payments nudged up
21st May 15, 2:00pm
by Bernard Hickey
52
Treasury forecasts NZ$176 million Budget surplus for 2015/16; Govt dumps NZ$1,000 kick start for new KiwiSaver members; Benefits and Working For Family payments nudged up
Govt to sell 430 ha of Auckland land for housing
Housing Minister details audit of hundreds of Government land holdings found many vacant reserves, Defence, Education and MSD land; Govt eyes sale for housing developments
20th May 15, 8:09pm
by Bernard Hickey
78
Housing Minister details audit of hundreds of Government land holdings found many vacant reserves, Defence, Education and MSD land; Govt eyes sale for housing developments
Budget set to free up more Auckland land
English and Smith hint at new moves in Budget 2015 to free up more Govt land in Auckland; possibly encourating competition for councils in consenting; Child poverty measures downplayed
19th May 15, 1:37pm
by Bernard Hickey
21
English and Smith hint at new moves in Budget 2015 to free up more Govt land in Auckland; possibly encourating competition for councils in consenting; Child poverty measures downplayed
Key says foreign buyer data can be sent to China
PM says tax and transactions data from non-resident property buyers may be shared with Chinese authorities on 'Operation Foxhunt' for corrupt officials overseas
18th May 15, 6:56pm
by Bernard Hickey
36
PM says tax and transactions data from non-resident property buyers may be shared with Chinese authorities on 'Operation Foxhunt' for corrupt officials overseas
Key denies Capital Gains Tax U-turn
PM says new two year 'bright line' test for property traders is not a Capital Gains Tax; denies Auckland property a bubble; denies move was knee-jerk response to polling; Labour says PM forced to 'eat his words'
18th May 15, 10:11am
by Bernard Hickey
90
PM says new two year 'bright line' test for property traders is not a Capital Gains Tax; denies Auckland property a bubble; denies move was knee-jerk response to polling; Labour says PM forced to 'eat his words'
Govt cracks down on property traders
PM Key announces Budget 2015 changes to crack down on property traders selling within two years
17th May 15, 11:48am
by Bernard Hickey
150
PM Key announces Budget 2015 changes to crack down on property traders selling within two years
Let some air out of the balloon
Bernard Hickey congratulates the Reserve Bank on its more targeted and more regional LVR policy, but says it needs more help from the Government on the demand side
17th May 15, 5:03am
by Bernard Hickey
21
Bernard Hickey congratulates the Reserve Bank on its more targeted and more regional LVR policy, but says it needs more help from the Government on the demand side
RBNZ agrees foreign buyer data needed
RBNZ agrees on need for better data on foreign buyers; Labour says LVR restrictions on Auckland landlords clears way for foreign cash buyers to scoop up properties; Wheeler downplays rent fears
13th May 15, 4:17pm
by Bernard Hickey
23
RBNZ agrees on need for better data on foreign buyers; Labour says LVR restrictions on Auckland landlords clears way for foreign cash buyers to scoop up properties; Wheeler downplays rent fears
RBNZ imposes LVR limit on Auckland landlords
RBNZ announces LVR restrictions for Auckland rental property investors; they must have at least 30% deposit; LVR relaxed outside of Auckland
13th May 15, 9:06am
by Bernard Hickey
143
RBNZ announces LVR restrictions for Auckland rental property investors; they must have at least 30% deposit; LVR relaxed outside of Auckland
Budget deficit smaller than forecast
Treasury reports Budget deficit NZ$856 mln better than forecast in 9 mths to March, but only due to early returns from corporates and SOEs; English says still on track for 2014/15 deficit
11th May 15, 10:50am
by Bernard Hickey
1
Treasury reports Budget deficit NZ$856 mln better than forecast in 9 mths to March, but only due to early returns from corporates and SOEs; English says still on track for 2014/15 deficit
Govt slashes cost of quake-prone rules
Smith announces 10-20 year delay to rules on assessing and fixing quake-prone buidings; Expected cost almost halved to NZ$777 mln; Auckland, Dunedin big winners
11th May 15, 10:05am
by Bernard Hickey
10
Smith announces 10-20 year delay to rules on assessing and fixing quake-prone buidings; Expected cost almost halved to NZ$777 mln; Auckland, Dunedin big winners
Auckland's Bonfire of the Properties
Bernard Hickey explains why Auckland landlords will be celebrating a week of fantastic news for house prices and everyone else will be grinding their teeth
10th May 15, 5:03am
by Bernard Hickey
121
Bernard Hickey explains why Auckland landlords will be celebrating a week of fantastic news for house prices and everyone else will be grinding their teeth
Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10: So what replaces TV news?; Thank goodness for NZ's minimum wage; Bubble in Auckland? What bubble?; The Hollywood model of work; Dilbert
7th May 15, 1:07pm
by Bernard Hickey
111
Bernard's Top 10: So what replaces TV news?; Thank goodness for NZ's minimum wage; Bubble in Auckland? What bubble?; The Hollywood model of work; Dilbert
ASB now sees 2 rate cuts after weak wage data
NZ unemployment higher than expected at 5.8% in March quarter, unchanged from upwardly revised 5.8%; annual jobs growth strong at 3.2%; participation up to new record high 69.6%
6th May 15, 11:01am
by Bernard Hickey
33
NZ unemployment higher than expected at 5.8% in March quarter, unchanged from upwardly revised 5.8%; annual jobs growth strong at 3.2%; participation up to new record high 69.6%
Hobsonville wanted even bigger price hikes for 'affordable' homes
Nick Smith says Hobsonville Point asked for even bigger price hikes for 'affordable' homes; says may have to hike KiwiSaver HomeStart subsidy threshold of NZ$550,000 within a year
5th May 15, 3:27pm
by Bernard Hickey
Nick Smith says Hobsonville Point asked for even bigger price hikes for 'affordable' homes; says may have to hike KiwiSaver HomeStart subsidy threshold of NZ$550,000 within a year
Smith warns Council to keep opening up Auckland housing land
Housing Minister warns Auckland Council not to overplay its hand on granting approval for greenfields Special Housing Areas; tells Council to use development contributions to pay for infrastructure
5th May 15, 12:55pm
by Bernard Hickey
26
Housing Minister warns Auckland Council not to overplay its hand on granting approval for greenfields Special Housing Areas; tells Council to use development contributions to pay for infrastructure
Key downplays foreign buyer restrictions
Key says Australia's foreign buyer restrictions haven't worked; downplays risk of NZ being odd one out after Victorian move to impose taxes on foreign buyers
4th May 15, 9:42pm
by Bernard Hickey
48
Key says Australia's foreign buyer restrictions haven't worked; downplays risk of NZ being odd one out after Victorian move to impose taxes on foreign buyers
Auckland's supply side land mine
Bernard Hickey says the Government and Auckland Council need to agree on funding big new water and rail infrastructure to have any hope of addressing Auckland's housing shortage crisis
3rd May 15, 5:03am
by Bernard Hickey
44
Bernard Hickey says the Government and Auckland Council need to agree on funding big new water and rail infrastructure to have any hope of addressing Auckland's housing shortage crisis
English signals bigger Budget deficit
Finance Minister signals bigger Budget deficit for 2014/15 in pre-Budget speech; says Treasury also sees smaller surplus for 2015/16 due to low inflation; says Govt won't slash spending in response
1st May 15, 12:51pm
by Bernard Hickey
21
Finance Minister signals bigger Budget deficit for 2014/15 in pre-Budget speech; says Treasury also sees smaller surplus for 2015/16 due to low inflation; says Govt won't slash spending in response
RBNZ adopts easing bias
RBNZ leaves OCR at 3.5% as expected, but says may lower rates if demand weakens; removes talk of future hike
30th Apr 15, 9:05am
by Bernard Hickey
41
RBNZ leaves OCR at 3.5% as expected, but says may lower rates if demand weakens; removes talk of future hike