Latest news with #Brash
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Distant noises of other voices
As Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon receives no shortage of advice. Quite apart from his Cabinet and caucus colleagues and coalition partners — let alone suggestions from the ever-helpful Opposition or media — he has several staff members whose entire role is to advise him on the issues of the day. Then there are the lobbyists, business leaders, interest groups, local government leaders and other influential people who are fortunate enough to capture the PM's attention and offer their two cents' worth. Even the general public can advise the prime minister — ultimately at the ballot box, but also through correspondence or even in person should they be lucky enough to be in the vicinity when Mr Luxon embarks on one of his weekly visits out to the regions. Not all advice is welcome, of course, and Mr Luxon may well have wished not to hear from former Labour prime minister Helen Clark and former National Party leader Don Brash when they chimed in last week with some salient words on New Zealand's relationship with China., There is little chance of Mr Luxon ignoring them, though, given that they chose to drop him a line via full-page advertisements in the nation's newspapers rather than sending him an email or letter. The nub of Miss Clark and Dr Brash's letter — which was also signed by former National MP and speaker Sir David Carter, former New Zealand ambassador to China Carl Worker, and Beijing-based New Zealand businessman David Mahon — was that they thought New Zealand's foreign policy was taking a concerning direction. "In recent months, you and Foreign Minister [Winston] Peters have made a number of statements which we consider to be positioning New Zealand alongside the United States as an adversary of China," they said. "We see no upside and very considerable downside in the situation which has developed... we do believe that a military relationship with the United States directed against China has many risks for New Zealand." The former politicians were, mainly, referring to Aukus Pillar Two, a defence arrangement with Australia, the United Kingdom and United States, which New Zealand is still mulling over whether to join. Signing up would no doubt please countries with which New Zealand has long-standing relationships and alliances and also allow the country access to modern defence and intelligence gathering technology. But Miss Clark, Dr Brash, et al, point out that the strategic grouping is "explicitly aimed at China" — a country with which New Zealand is also friendly, and which is, as no-one has forgotten, our biggest trading partner. A vital plank in Mr Luxon's "going for growth" agenda is increasing export sales, and the ready, waiting and able-to-buy Chinese market is a critical one. Mr Luxon met Chinese President Xi Jinping at last year's Apec meeting, and he is widely expected to visit the People's Republic sometime this year. Such visits always include an obligatory but delicately phrased reference to some of China's more questionable policies in terms of human rights, a topic quickly skimmed over before the parties turn to dollars and cents. New Zealand's attempts to become closer in step with the United States will already have been noted by Beijing, and this will no doubt be added to the awkward topics list when Mr Luxon does make it to the Chinese capital. No-one is suggesting that Miss Clark or Dr Brash, experienced operators in their own right, are acting as stalking horses for China in placing their advertisement: their views on this matter are backed by lengthy and independent track records, and they raise a legitimate argument. Mr Luxon will not have welcomed such high-profile questioning of his policies at a time when his staff may well be making final arrangements for what will be a vital trip — as all meetings between China's and New Zealand's leaders are for this country. Mr Peters, in typically colourful language, said that he saw "no value in indulging the tired arguments of various former politicians" — before defending the government's foreign policy approach. But indulge them Mr Luxon will likely have to do. In finding language to counter them, he may well find himself grateful that those varied notables raised their voices and offered their opinion.
NZ Herald
7 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Don Brash v Matthew Hooton defamation case: High Court hears Brash wants ‘unreserved apology'
Brash has said Hooton's comments suggested he was dishonest, lacking in integrity and corrupt. But Dickey told Associate Judge Grant Brittain, KC, that the remarks were not as offensive as suggested and Hooton had already apologised. The court heard any rewards in the case would be nominal, not substantial. Dickey said at one point Brash seemed to suggest 'iwi' were paying Hooton, which was totally unfounded. Brash's views on the Treaty of Waitangi and race relations were largely what Hooton's monologue was about. Specialist defamation lawyers Peter McKnight and Ali Romanos appeared for Brash. Romanos said the remarks were serious because Hooton was not 'some random person on Reddit' but an established figure with gravitas. Romanos said Brash wanted an unreserved apology from Hooton. He said some 3500 people might have heard the initial podcast monologue, which was later circulated to more people on social media. McKnight said it was not right to strike out a case with 'very serious matters alleged'. He argued the case should go to trial. McKnight asked for today's strike-out application to be dismissed and costs awarded. Associate Judge Brittain reserved his decision but indicated a judgment on the strike-out application would likely be made in about a fortnight. Hooton was not in the courtroom today. Brash was, but he declined to comment afterwards. Brash, apart from also being a former Reserve Bank Governor, leads the Hobson's Pledge lobby group. Hooton is a columnist for the Business Herald and has worked in political and corporate communications and strategy for clients including the National Party. John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation and court. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and court.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fears for 2,000 UK jobs as Airbus and Boeing carve up Belfast factory
More than 2,000 jobs are under threat at one of the UK's biggest aerospace plants after some workers were left out of a deal between Boeing and Airbus to carve up the site. The Spirit AeroSystems factory in Belfast, one of Northern Ireland's largest manufacturing locations, is being broken up by the two jet manufacturers as part of a complex takeover deal of Spirit AeroSystems. While Airbus has agreed to rehire about 1,600 workers from the site, there are fears for the non-Airbus staff after Boeing indicated it did not wish to take on the remaining 2,000 chiefs and local MPs, who had campaigned for the plant to be kept together, warned that the settlement leaves a question mark over the majority of jobs Brash, the regional officer for Unite, called on Sir Keir Starmer to intervene, saying the Prime Minister should leverage the importance of the factory in supplying wings to Airbus and receiving Government grants to put pressure on the company to said: 'This announcement leaves an uncertain future for thousands of workers, with no mention anywhere of safeguarding jobs.'It is completely unacceptable and the Government should not just be lying down over this.' Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, said 10,000 jobs in Ireland were dependent on Spirit and that a break-up of the plant would destroy vital economies of plans to send a delegation to Westminster on Wednesday to put its concerns to Sarah Jones, the industry minister. The Belfast factory was built by Short Brothers in 1936 and produced Second World War aircraft including the Stirling bomber and Sunderland flying boat. Spirit, Northern Ireland's largest private employer, is best known for supplying wings for the Airbus A220, a small airliner popular on short routes such as those from London City airport. However the rest of the complex, which spans six manufacturing sites in and around Belfast, predominantly supplies parts for Bombardier, Honda and Rolls-Royce engine casings – making it unattractive to both Airbus and Boeing. Spirit had been seeking a buyer for the unwanted assets after Boeing said last year that it would take over the Kansas-based company, which was blamed for making a faulty door plug that blew out of a Boeing 737 Max jet at 16,000 feet. Beyond wing production, which employs 1,100 people, even the commitment of Airbus to parts of the business it is taking over appears uncertain. The company said it will take on an operation that makes the A220's centre fuselage and supports about 500 posts only if a 'suitable buyer' cannot be found before the transaction closes. Outside of Northern Ireland, Airbus will take ownership of a Spirit plant at Prestwick, near Glasgow, which makes parts for its best-selling A320 and the A350. However, it said the acquisition of the site, which had been the subject of disposal talks with at least one third party, is being made only 'to ensure continuity of production' and that it will be operated as an affiliate while its long-term future is said it will 'continue close engagement' with the UK and Scottish governments and with the Northern Ireland Executive 'to support a sustainable future' for the UK representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on its plans for the other half of the Belfast also agreed to take ownership of Spirit operations that make parts for its planes in the US, France and Morocco and will receive $439m (£328m) from Boeing in compensation for doing so. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Zealand had a plan to be as rich as Australia. Here's how it failed
New Zealand's government set out a plan 16 years ago to 'match Australia by 2025'. But instead of fostering a booming economy to rival that of its neighbour, the country faces rising unemployment, anaemic economic growth and a mass exodus of Kiwis across the Tasman Sea. The outlook is so bleak that some in Wellington now joke that the government's next tagline should instead be to 'beat Fiji by 2050'. For Don Brash, New Zealand's failed ambitions to match Australian incomes are especially frustrating. He was appointed in 2009 to lead a high-profile, bipartisan task force charged with developing a strategy to close the income gap. None of its 35 recommendations were adopted and the gap in GDP per capita has now grown, from a chasm of roughly $8,000 to $10,700. 'It was a case of missed opportunities,' said Dr Brash, who was governor of the Reserve Bank for 14 years and spent three years as leader of the opposition, for the New Zealand National Party, from 2003 to 2006. 'I think because we made some recommendations the government of the day did not like very much, they used the first opportunity they could to wind [the task force] up in 2011. 'I would've been relaxed about it if they had other plans to catch Australia. But they didn't… it just hasn't been a priority,' he told The Telegraph. But reality is now hitting hard. Adjusting for purchasing power, GDP per person is about a third higher in Australia than in New Zealand – where the cost of living is high, unemployment has risen to a four-year high of 4.7 per cent and homelessness is rising. New Zealand's economy, currently in recession, was the worst performing in the developed world last year, according to HSBC. And so, despite New Zealand's reputation as an idyllic place to live and bring up a family, the net result is a mass exodus. In 2024, 128,700 people left the Pacific nation of 5.3 million people, according to preliminary data, a figure roughly 40 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic average for this century. While net migration was still 27,100 last year, it was a significant fall from 126,800 in 2023. 'Rather than seeing a brain exchange, we're seeing a brain drain,' said Paul Spoonley, a sociologist and emeritus professor at Massey University of New Zealand. He added that it was no longer 'simply the 20-somethings going to live in Sydney or London for a few years to get work experiences, travel, and get away from Mum and Dad'. Now, skilled workers in their 30s, often with young families, are also leaving. Stats NZ estimates that 56 per cent of Kiwis who left last year went 'across the ditch', enticed by better paid jobs, more generous pensions and an economy not in recession. In the last few years, Australia has made it even easier for New Zealanders to get passports and benefits. 'We have a soft labour market, so in the short term we're exporting some of our unemployment,' said Prof Spoonley. 'But the major impact is that we're losing our well-educated, skilled people. As the labour market begins to firm up in a few years, we're going to have a generational shortage [of workers].' But he does not think the government is taking the situation seriously enough. 'We have adult children in their 30s, and when you look at their circle of friends, it's very obvious to see that a lot more have moved to Australia,' Prof Spoonley said. He added: 'It seems to me we have a degree of complacency – I don't think we are seeing much of a debate about how we can improve our competitiveness with Australia. I think that's partly because the gap is so large, what could the government do to match it?' So how did New Zealand lose pace compared to Australia in the first place? In Dr Brash's mind, there are three key factors: Australia's mining boom, New Zealand's economic missteps and a level of economic productivity well below most of its peers. 'Australia has avoided a recession for the best part of 20 to 30 years, so in that sense, it has done well,' he said. 'There are various factors, mining being the most obvious – Australia has a very large amount of valuable mining assets, which have helped.' But he added that New Zealand had failed to develop an ambitious strategy to boost its economy – ignoring a range of proposals included in the 'close the gap' taskforce's final report. 'We were recommending a more open policy to foreign investment and to reform the Resource Management Act – a cumbersome planning act which means if you want to build anything, there are substantial hoops,' Dr Brash said. 'But successful governments have kept that handbrake on development.' He said this had contributed to a 'ridiculous' situation where, despite no lack of land, house prices were 'absolutely nuts'. 'Even a tent is unaffordable,' he joked. 'This is the result of serious policy failings.' More broadly, Dr Brash bemoaned that recommendations to make New Zealand more attractive to foreign investment were sidelined. 'The corporate tax break is also no longer competitive – 28 per cent, which by Asian standards is high,' he said. 'We haven't made ourselves an attractive place for investment, so even when bright ideas do occur, people start businesses here [and] then sell them offshore.' But the current situation has also been made worse by monetary policy in the last two or three years. When New Zealand closed borders and provided an economic stimulus to protect against the coronavirus pandemic, this fanned inflationary pressures and pushed already high house prices to historic levels. In response, and unlike Australia, the central bank increased interest rates and the government rapidly halted the fiscal spigots – triggering a recession. This approach was dropped in August – partly when updated figures showed the economy had been growing more quickly than first thought in 2023 – but the bank's previously hawkish warnings had already hit households and businesses hard. Now the government has given up on achieving a budget surplus in the next five years. 'If we had perfect knowledge, perfect, accurate real-time data, then it would affect how we communicate,' Paul Conway, chief economist at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, told Reuters. 'Unfortunately, it's not physics.' But Dr Brash said it was never too late to turn the situation around – and he 'is more optimistic than most of my contemporaries' about the current outlook. 'The government ignored our recommendations in 2010/2011, and look where we are now. But that said, we still have an opportunity, there's always an opportunity in the present to do something about it. 'There are some moves afoot, [a] resource management act, foreign investment regime, some measures that make me optimistic that we are serious about improving productivity,' he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
09-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
New Zealand had a plan to be as rich as Australia. Here's how it failed
New Zealand's government set out a plan 16 years ago to 'match Australia by 2025'. But instead of fostering a booming economy to rival that of its neighbour, the country faces rising unemployment, anaemic economic growth and an exodus of Kiwis across the Tasman Sea. The outlook is so bleak that some in Wellington now joke that the government's next tagline should instead be to 'beat Fiji by 2050'. For Don Brash, New Zealand's failed ambitions to match Australian incomes are especially frustrating. He was appointed in 2009 to lead a high-profile, bipartisan task force charged with developing a strategy to close the income gap. None of its 35 recommendations were adopted and the gap in GDP per capita has now grown, from a chasm of roughly $8,000 to $10,700. 'It was a case of missed opportunities,' said Dr Brash, who was governor of the Reserve Bank for 14 years and spent three years as leader of the opposition, for the New Zealand National Party, from 2003 to 2006. 'I think because we made some recommendations the government of the day did not like very much, they used the first opportunity they could to wind [the task force] up in 2011. 'I would've been relaxed about it if they had other plans to catch Australia. But they didn't… it just hasn't been a priority,' he told The Telegraph. But reality is now hitting hard. Adjusting for purchasing power, GDP per person is about a third higher in Australia than in New Zealand – where the cost of living is high, unemployment has risen to a four-year high of 4.7 per cent and homelessness is rising. New Zealand's economy, currently in recession, was the worst performing in the developed world last year, according to HSBC. And so, despite New Zealand's reputation as an idyllic place to live and bring up a family, the net result is an exodus. In 2024, 128,700 people left the Pacific nation of 5.3 million people, according to preliminary data, a figure roughly 40 per cent higher than the pre-pandemic average for this century. While net migration was still 27,100 last year, it was a significant fall from 128,278 in 2023. 'Rather than seeing a brain exchange, we're seeing a brain drain,' said Paul Spoonley, a sociologist and emeritus professor at Massey University of New Zealand. He added that it was no longer 'simply the 20-somethings going to live in Sydney or London for a few years to get work experiences, travel, and get away from Mum and Dad'. Now, skilled workers in their 30s, often with young families, are also leaving. Stats NZ estimates that 56 per cent of Kiwis who left last year went 'across the ditch', enticed by better paid jobs, more generous pensions and an economy not in recession. In the last few years, Australia has made it even easier for New Zealanders to get passports and benefits. 'We have a soft labour market, so in the short term we're exporting some of our unemployment,' said Prof Spoonley. 'But the major impact is that we're losing our well-educated, skilled people. As the labour market begins to firm up in a few years, we're going to have a generational shortage [of workers].' But he does not think the government is taking the situation seriously enough. 'We have adult children in their 30s, and when you look at their circle of friends, it's very obvious to see that a lot more have moved to Australia,' Prof Spoonley said. He added: 'It seems to me we have a degree of complacency – I don't think we are seeing much of a debate about how we can improve our competitiveness with Australia. I think that's partly because the gap is so large, what could the government do to match it?' So how did New Zealand lose pace compared with Australia in the first place? In Dr Brash's mind, there are three key factors: Australia's mining boom, New Zealand's economic missteps and a level of economic productivity well below most of its peers. 'Australia has avoided a recession for the best part of 20 to 30 years, so in that sense, it has done well,' he said. 'There are various factors, mining being the most obvious – Australia has a very large amount of valuable mining assets, which have helped.' But he added that New Zealand had failed to develop an ambitious strategy to boost its economy – ignoring a range of proposals included in the 'close the gap' task force's final report. 'We were recommending a more open policy to foreign investment and to reform the Resource Management Act – a cumbersome planning act which means if you want to build anything, there are substantial hoops,' Dr Brash said. 'But successful governments have kept that handbrake on development.' He said this had contributed to a 'ridiculous' situation where, despite no lack of land, house prices were 'absolutely nuts'. 'Even a tent is unaffordable,' he joked. 'This is the result of serious policy failings.' More broadly, Dr Brash bemoaned that recommendations to make New Zealand more attractive to foreign investment were sidelined. 'The corporate tax break is also no longer competitive – 28 per cent, which by Asian standards is high,' he said. 'We haven't made ourselves an attractive place for investment, so even when bright ideas do occur, people start businesses here [and] then sell them offshore.' But the current situation has also been made worse by monetary policy in the last two or three years. When New Zealand closed borders and provided an economic stimulus to protect against the coronavirus pandemic, this fanned inflationary pressures and pushed already high house prices to historic levels. In response, and unlike Australia, the central bank increased interest rates and the government rapidly halted the fiscal spigots – triggering a recession. This approach was dropped in August – partly when updated figures showed the economy had been growing more quickly than first thought in 2023 – but the bank's previously hawkish warnings had already hit households and businesses hard. Now the government has given up on achieving a budget surplus in the next five years. 'If we had perfect knowledge, perfect, accurate real-time data, then it would affect how we communicate,' Paul Conway, chief economist at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, told Reuters. 'Unfortunately, it's not physics.' But Dr Brash said it was never too late to turn the situation around – and he 'is more optimistic than most of my contemporaries' about the current outlook. 'The government ignored our recommendations in 2010/2011, and look where we are now. But that said, we still have an opportunity, there's always an opportunity in the present to do something about it. 'There are some moves afoot, [a] resource management act, foreign investment regime, some measures that make me optimistic that we are serious about improving productivity,' he said.
