The long-awaited reset of KiwiBuild confirms that the government still doesn’t grasp why the policy went so spectacularly wrong. When KiwiBuild was conceived back in 2012, it was easy to blame the unaffordability of housing on a lack of supply – new dwelling consents the previous year had plunged to a 58-year low of 13,236. But with consents now at a 45-year high of 35,472, it no longer makes sense to suggest that high house prices are due to a lack of construction activity. KiwiBuild remains a policy that has been formulated to treat the symptoms of a problem that the government has failed to properly diagnose or understand.
News
Our work in the news
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Here is list of Infometrics’ latest mentions in the media.
ARTICLES
The challenge of predicting regional population growth
Local councils are once again putting their thoughts towards their Long Term (10-year) Plans which need to be completed next year. Fundamental to their plans are reliable metrics on the size of their current and future population.
Kiwis embrace a lower-plastic life
Plastic packaging is being talked about more than any other time since it was first invented. With single-use plastic bags now banned, and our ability to outsource soft plastic recycling overseas becoming less viable, there are some fundamental shifts occurring for New Zealand. With more efforts to switch to reusable alternatives, and a rethink about plastic recycling, we need to focus much more on how we manage our waste.
A day in the life of an Economist – Andrew Beattie
Andrew Beattie has recently joined the Infometrics Team. This month we sit down to chat with Andrew about what he’s working on at Infometrics and what he sees in the future.
Chart of the month: Auckland is big
We know that Auckland is a big part of the country’s economy. In 2018 it had 35% of the population, 36% of the jobs, and accounted for 38% of GDP – up from 31%, 32% and 34% respectively in 2000. But just how big is that really?
Media release: Population growth and consumer spending drive regional economies for now
The latest Infometrics Quarterly Economic Monitor highlights that almost all regional economies continue to grow, driven by population growth and sustained consumer confidence. However, concerns are growing about future growth, with a long, slow, slowdown expected over the next few years.
Making it rain cash: How to fix the downturn
The July 2019 Infometrics forecasts show a long, slow, slowdown is on the cards for the New Zealand economy. With lower growth on the way, it’s worth highlighting some of the options that are available to New Zealand to combat the slowdown along with the opportunities and challenges of these options.
Economic impacts of events
Events can be a great way to stimulate a local area – bringing a cash injection from out of town visitors, raising the profile of an area and local businesses to visitors and migrants, or simply bringing a community closer together. Many communities choose to support events which align with their strategic goals, but it’s important to assess if the benefits really stack up, and if a public investment is warranted. Infometrics offers an event impact calculator to our regional clients, empowering them to calculate impacts for themselves.
Building smaller and building more
Infometrics’ building forecasts show that consents for new dwellings in New Zealand are expected to crack 35,000 by the end of 2019. This article looks at the size of our new housing, how it’s changed over time, and one potential approach to address the housing shortfall – and meet KiwiBuild targets.
A day in the life of an Economist – Nick Brunsdon
Nick Brunsdon has recently joined the Infometrics Team. This month we sit down to chat with Nick about what he’s working on at Infometrics and what brought him full circle to work in economics.