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 2 months

Latest articles

Orr jabs at banks on deposit rates and inclusion

RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr calls on banks to lift deposit rates as much as mortgage rates; says Gabrielle shows banks haven't done enough on inclusion and resilience in regional areas

22nd Feb 23, 6:12pm

by Bernard Hickey

RBNZ Governor Adrian Orr calls on banks to lift deposit rates as much as mortgage rates; says Gabrielle shows banks haven't done enough on inclusion and resilience in regional areas

Govt starts Gabrielle response with $300m of funds

Cabinet decides on initial $250m top-up for road repair fund; initial $50m for discretionary grants to small business; Govt also considering rebuild work visa for affected regions

20th Feb 23, 5:59pm

by Bernard Hickey

Cabinet decides on initial $250m top-up for road repair fund; initial $50m for discretionary grants to small business; Govt also considering rebuild work visa for affected regions

Govt rewriting Budget 2023 for Gabrielle rebuild

Cabinet meets for last-minute re-write of Budget 2023 to pay for Gabrielle response and rebuild; initial wage-subsidy-style support expected; easier migrant worker access being eyed; Robertson sees eventual bill around $13b

20th Feb 23, 12:52pm

by Bernard Hickey

Climate change now Robertson’s ‘defining dynamic’

Finance Minister says 1-in-100-year climate events now more regular; He wants a long-term infrastructure plan for adaptation; He sees tough conversations about whether, where, how and who pays to rebuild

17th Feb 23, 4:54pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM Chris Hipkins speaking from the Beehive Theatrette Lecturn. Photo by Lynn Grieveson for The Kaka.

Labour clears decks before election

Hipkins ditches social insurance, TVNZ-RNZ merger, hate speech law and biofuels mandate; minimum wage to rise 7%; unspecified Three Waters changes flagged

8th Feb 23, 3:43pm

by Bernard Hickey

244

Hipkins ditches social insurance, TVNZ-RNZ merger, hate speech law and biofuels mandate; minimum wage to rise 7%; unspecified Three Waters changes flagged

Transport and Auckland Minister Michael Wood (left), PM Chris Hipkins and Finance Minister Grant Robertson (right)

Fuel tax cut extended again

Govt extends 25c/litre fuel tax cut for yet another three months, saying it wants to focus first on ‘bread and butter’ ‘cost of living’ issues

1st Feb 23, 1:45pm

by Bernard Hickey

Govt extends 25c/litre fuel tax cut for yet another three months, saying it wants to focus first on ‘bread and butter’ ‘cost of living’ issues

Mahuta loses Local Government portfolio in Three Waters review

Nanaia Mahuta replaced by Kieran McAnulty as Local Government Minister and Andrew Little replaced by Ayesha Verrall as Health Minister

31st Jan 23, 4:07pm

by Bernard Hickey

129

Nanaia Mahuta replaced by Kieran McAnulty as Local Government Minister and Andrew Little replaced by Ayesha Verrall as Health Minister

Jacinda Ardern's decision to resign and her replacement by Chris Hipkins has lifted Labour back above National in two polls. Photo by Lynn Grieveson for The Kaka

Hipkins' immediate 'honeymoon' bounce

Change from Ardern to Hipkins bounces Labour polling support back above National after less than a week in charge

31st Jan 23, 12:41pm

by Bernard Hickey

Change from Ardern to Hipkins bounces Labour polling support back above National after less than a week in charge

Hipkins set to loosen migration and tighten spending

New PM Chris Hipkins to use cabinet reshuffle and policy tweaks to try to distance Labour from Ardern and catch up to National

29th Jan 23, 8:30am

by Bernard Hickey

233

New PM Chris Hipkins to use cabinet reshuffle and policy tweaks to try to distance Labour from Ardern and catch up to National

Hipkins against lower house prices

PM-elect Chris Hipkins says in first news conference he wants to ditch unnecessary spending and doesn't want to do anything to lower house prices

22nd Jan 23, 5:19pm

by Bernard Hickey

120

PM-elect Chris Hipkins says in first news conference he wants to ditch unnecessary spending and doesn't want to do anything to lower house prices

Chris Hipkins the sole nominee and will be the next Prime Minister

Hipkins sole candidate for Labour leader in caucus vote; expected to be endorsed tomorrow afternoon and become PM soon after

21st Jan 23, 10:15am

by Bernard Hickey

236

Hipkins sole candidate for Labour leader in caucus vote; expected to be endorsed tomorrow afternoon and become PM soon after

A tribute to a tragic PM

Bernard Hickey writes outgoing PM Jacinda Ardern deserves our thanks and respect for her crisis leadership, but she failed to deliver on her own transformational promises because of her fiscal conservatism

19th Jan 23, 5:27pm

by Bernard Hickey

128

Govt softens farm emissions plan

Ardern and O'Connor promise low initial methane price, cheap nitrogen price and inclusion of riparian planting in ETS

21st Dec 22, 11:54am

by Bernard Hickey

Ardern and O'Connor promise low initial methane price, cheap nitrogen price and inclusion of riparian planting in ETS

Finance Minister Grant Robertson presents the HYEFU and BPS for Budget 2023. Photo by Lynn Grieveson/The Kaka.

Petrol tax cut extended to March 31

Govt extends petrol tax cut by two months to end of March, but diesel RUCs cut will end as scheduled on Jan 31

14th Dec 22, 2:02pm

by Bernard Hickey

Govt extends petrol tax cut by two months to end of March, but diesel RUCs cut will end as scheduled on Jan 31

Govt loosens migration settings again

Govt expands 'green list' for work-to-residency visas to include nurses, construction workers and teachers; expands straight-to-residency visa list to midwives and auditors

12th Dec 22, 8:25pm

by Bernard Hickey

Govt expands 'green list' for work-to-residency visas to include nurses, construction workers and teachers; expands straight-to-residency visa list to midwives and auditors

Govt delays healthy homes standard

[updated]

Megan Woods announces delay in healthy homes standards launch by one year to July 1, 2025, but to regulate property managers

22nd Nov 22, 9:31am

by Bernard Hickey

Megan Woods announces delay in healthy homes standards launch by one year to July 1, 2025, but to regulate property managers

10 more years to replace RMA

[updated]

New regime to replace RMA to take 10 years to bed in, cost $3.891b and create benefits of $10.039b

15th Nov 22, 1:04pm

by Bernard Hickey

New regime to replace RMA to take 10 years to bed in, cost $3.891b and create benefits of $10.039b

Open banking still two years away

Clark announces banks will be first designated for 'consumer data framework' to allow easy shifting of data and accounts, but implementation still 'two years away'

10th Nov 22, 8:30am

by Bernard Hickey

Clark announces banks will be first designated for 'consumer data framework' to allow easy shifting of data and accounts, but implementation still 'two years away'

Reserve Bank independence just ended

Opposition's shock at Orr's reappointment signals the end of an era of Reserve Bank independence, and that's ok because it was bound to happen post QE

9th Nov 22, 12:08pm

by Bernard Hickey

Opposition's shock at Orr's reappointment signals the end of an era of Reserve Bank independence, and that's ok because it was bound to happen post QE

Reserve Bank independence faces biggest challenge

Opposition leader and potential Finance Minister say they're 'shocked and appalled' Orr was reappointed Governor

8th Nov 22, 12:23pm

by Bernard Hickey

115

Opposition leader and potential Finance Minister say they're 'shocked and appalled' Orr was reappointed Governor

'Tougher' AML-CFT rules actually looser for some

Review of anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing suggests looser settings for some as $1.3b cost mounts

7th Nov 22, 8:14pm

by Bernard Hickey

Review of anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing suggests looser settings for some as $1.3b cost mounts

Ardern criticises high bank profits

PM says banks not demonstrating 'social license' by repeatedly making very high profits, but does not have policy options; instead says banks 'should take a long hard look at themselves'

7th Nov 22, 6:11pm

by Bernard Hickey

PM says banks not demonstrating 'social license' by repeatedly making very high profits, but does not have policy options; instead says banks 'should take a long hard look at themselves'

Actually, we'll almost all be just fine

Headlines warn of grim times as interest rates jump and house prices fall, but actually, households, banks and firms are in rude health

2nd Nov 22, 8:10pm

by Bernard Hickey

153

Headlines warn of grim times as interest rates jump and house prices fall, but actually, households, banks and firms are in rude health

Robertson proud of 5 years in charge of economy

Finance Minister notes five years since Labour won power, highlighting economic growth, low unemployment and house building; says inflation has peaked and will fall

25th Oct 22, 6:47pm

by Bernard Hickey

Finance Minister notes five years since Labour won power, highlighting economic growth, low unemployment and house building; says inflation has peaked and will fall

Wood loosens migration settings again

[updated]

Immigration Minister reopens Skilled Migrant visa category ahead of full review; parent visa category reopened and quota more than doubled

12th Oct 22, 1:16pm

by Bernard Hickey

133

Immigration Minister reopens Skilled Migrant visa category ahead of full review; parent visa category reopened and quota more than doubled