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

Bernard's Top 10 at 10

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: Where's the Dick Seddon of the Machine Age?; Debt tensions build in China as housing slows; NZ just like Oklahoma; Dilbert

12th Feb 14, 12:22pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: Where's the Dick Seddon of the Machine Age?; Debt tensions build in China as housing slows; NZ just like Oklahoma; Dilbert

Labour, NZ First want TPP text public

Labour Leader David Cunliffe calls on Govt to release full text of any TPP deal before cabinet agrees

11th Feb 14, 12:31pm

by Bernard Hickey

Labour Leader David Cunliffe calls on Govt to release full text of any TPP deal before cabinet agrees

Govt grumpy over ChCh consent fees jump

Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith criticise Christchurch Council decision to increase building consent fees 89%; ask for reports

11th Feb 14, 11:40am

by Bernard Hickey

Gerry Brownlee and Nick Smith criticise Christchurch Council decision to increase building consent fees 89%; ask for reports

Key labels Cunliffe an 'idiot'

PM John Key calls Labour Leader David Cunliffe an idiot over Australian welfare comments; Key reveals NZers' fighting in Syria

10th Feb 14, 5:06pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM John Key calls Labour Leader David Cunliffe an idiot over Australian welfare comments; Key reveals NZers' fighting in Syria

How to de-monopolise New Zealand

Bernard Hickey says the Commerce Commission and the Govt need to help the RBNZ and consumers by cracking down harder on the monopolies and taxes that drive endemic inflation

9th Feb 14, 8:00am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey says the Commerce Commission and the Govt need to help the RBNZ and consumers by cracking down harder on the monopolies and taxes that drive endemic inflation

Australia to review NZ imputation credits

PM Key says Australia has agreed to review its block on allowing imputation credits on dividends from NZ earnings of Australian companies

7th Feb 14, 3:11pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM Key says Australia has agreed to review its block on allowing imputation credits on dividends from NZ earnings of Australian companies

Watchdog probing agents' actions

Commerce Commission says has started investigating real estate agency decisions to withdraw vendors' listings from Trade Me

5th Feb 14, 3:06pm

by Bernard Hickey

Commerce Commission says has started investigating real estate agency decisions to withdraw vendors' listings from Trade Me

Bernard's Top 10 at 10

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: ; Chinese cash pumping up Sydney bubble; Charlene Chu and foreign borrowing; America's anaemic middle class; If Google was a guy; Dilbert

5th Feb 14, 12:31pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: ; Chinese cash pumping up Sydney bubble; Charlene Chu and foreign borrowing; America's anaemic middle class; If Google was a guy; Dilbert

Jobless rate falls to 6.0%

Statistics NZ reports unemployment fell to 6.0% in Dec qtr from 6.2% in Sept qtr; 24,000 jobs added

5th Feb 14, 10:53am

by Bernard Hickey

Statistics NZ reports unemployment fell to 6.0% in Dec qtr from 6.2% in Sept qtr; 24,000 jobs added

Vendor angry at agent pulling listing

Reaction builds to agent revolt over Trade Me fees; vendor angry at being uninformed;commentator ridicules agents as "pathetic and amateurish"; says may be illegal

4th Feb 14, 8:09pm

by Bernard Hickey

Reaction builds to agent revolt over Trade Me fees; vendor angry at being uninformed;commentator ridicules agents as "pathetic and amateurish"; says may be illegal

47% of buyers find home via Trade Me

Research commissioned by Trade Me found 47% of buyers found home via Trade Me, while 9% found home via print ad

4th Feb 14, 2:39pm

by Bernard Hickey

Research commissioned by Trade Me found 47% of buyers found home via Trade Me, while 9% found home via print ad

Agents revolt over Trade Me Property fees

Hamilton and Hawkes Bay real estate agents pull 1,700 listings from Trade Me after change in fee structure; Trade Me appeals directly to home sellers

4th Feb 14, 10:23am

by Bernard Hickey

Hamilton and Hawkes Bay real estate agents pull 1,700 listings from Trade Me after change in fee structure; Trade Me appeals directly to home sellers

Key confident of Genesis green light "soon"

PM Key says Genesis Energy float decision due soon; He's confident after Treasury advised him this week that 2014 float possible

3rd Feb 14, 3:52pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM Key says Genesis Energy float decision due soon; He's confident after Treasury advised him this week that 2014 float possible

Get out your calculators

Bernard Hickey says the 7th MMP election due this year is already shaping up as another battle of the middle class bribes. He'd prefer a Big Kahuna instead

2nd Feb 14, 7:31am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey says the 7th MMP election due this year is already shaping up as another battle of the middle class bribes. He'd prefer a Big Kahuna instead

RBNZ says inflation pressure building

RBNZ's Wheeler repeats that bank expects to raise rates to more normal levels "soon"; warns of building inflation pressure

31st Jan 14, 1:15pm

by Bernard Hickey

RBNZ's Wheeler repeats that bank expects to raise rates to more normal levels "soon"; warns of building inflation pressure

What the RBNZ's OCR decision means

Bernard Hickey looks at what the Reserve Bank's OCR decision means for mortgage rates and house prices

30th Jan 14, 12:30pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey looks at what the Reserve Bank's OCR decision means for mortgage rates and house prices

RBNZ holds OCR yet again

RBNZ holds OCR at 2.5% for 23rd time; says will start lifting OCR to 'more normal' levels 'soon'; NZ$ falls

30th Jan 14, 9:16am

by Bernard Hickey

RBNZ holds OCR at 2.5% for 23rd time; says will start lifting OCR to 'more normal' levels 'soon'; NZ$ falls

Key open to flag change referendum

Prime Minister John Key says would like to change flag to silver fern on black background; will talk with cabinet about referendum

29th Jan 14, 2:15pm

by Bernard Hickey

Prime Minister John Key says would like to change flag to silver fern on black background; will talk with cabinet about referendum

English eyes May 15 Budget without tax cuts

Finance Minister sets May 15 as Budget day; says tax cuts not considered; focus on repaying debt; says workers should expect pay rises

29th Jan 14, 1:40pm

by Bernard Hickey

Finance Minister sets May 15 as Budget day; says tax cuts not considered; focus on repaying debt; says workers should expect pay rises

Bernard's Top 10 at 10

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: Square for Australasia?; Onshoring and deflation; How China is tightening fiscal and monetary policy at the same time; Marx is back; Dilbert

29th Jan 14, 11:07am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard's Top 10 at 10: Square for Australasia?; Onshoring and deflation; How China is tightening fiscal and monetary policy at the same time; Marx is back; Dilbert

Roost home loan affordability report for December

Home loan affordability improves in Auckland as prices fall, deteriorates in most of the rest of the country

29th Jan 14, 10:32am

by Bernard Hickey

Home loan affordability improves in Auckland as prices fall, deteriorates in most of the rest of the country

Key eyes longer parental leave

Key confirms Government considering extending parental leave, although not as long as Labour plans

28th Jan 14, 11:35am

by Bernard Hickey

Key confirms Government considering extending parental leave, although not as long as Labour plans

What NZ should fear in China's shadows

Bernard Hickey looks at how a collapse of China's shadow banks might affect a newly China-dependent New Zealand

27th Jan 14, 2:58pm

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey looks at how a collapse of China's shadow banks might affect a newly China-dependent New Zealand

Labour plans 'Best Start' child support

Labour's David Cunliffe proposes 'Best Start' package of NZ$60/week per child for first three years; extends early education, paid parental leave

27th Jan 14, 1:15pm

by Bernard Hickey

Labour's David Cunliffe proposes 'Best Start' package of NZ$60/week per child for first three years; extends early education, paid parental leave

Is this time really different?

Bernard Hickey remembers 2009 and is sceptical that the RBNZ will actually raise interest rates in 2014 - especially as inflation remains so low

26th Jan 14, 8:00am

by Bernard Hickey

Bernard Hickey remembers 2009 and is sceptical that the RBNZ will actually raise interest rates in 2014 - especially as inflation remains so low