recession Archive

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  Education investment is necessary for recession management

  
  
  
  The Tertiary Education Union reports today that Canterbury University is looking at further restricting student numbers because they are not being funded by central government for the expected growth. Notwithstanding that many universities, including Canterbury, spend a great deal on advertising that could be better spent on education, the issue is a [...] read more
  April 2, 2009 4:32 pm - 52 Comments
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  Dr Robert Costanza on ecological economics

  
  
  
  Dr Robert Costanza, Director of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics gave a talk at Wellington’s Victoria University on the best response to the ecological and financial crises that are unfolding. Costanza was invited by the NZ Green Party to speak prior to last weekend’s Policy Conference. It’s a long video, (55 min), but well worth [...] read more
  March 20, 2009 1:31 pm - 17 Comments
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  Well oiled recessions

  
  
  
  WorldChanging has this troubling graphic. The extraordinary rise in oil prices since 2003 has sucked hundreds of billions of dollars out of the US economy (and the Cascadian economy). High oil prices have been a contributing cause of most recessions: Since 1948, “all large oil price increases but two have been followed by recessions,” as Andrew [...] read more
  October 14, 2008 3:47 pm - 5 Comments
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  Fiscal irresponsibility

  
  
  
  I asked at the beginning of the year how each party might respond to a recession.  The Herald gives National’s answer today on it’s front page – pretend it’s not happening: Despite global financial turmoil, National’s finance spokesman, Bill English, has indicated the party is still considering tax cuts of $50 a week. Asked on Radio New [...] read more
  September 16, 2008 9:38 am - 24 Comments
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  Recession-proofing our jobs

  
  
  
  Tradestaff recruitment agency has identified the top five recession-proof jobs with high earning potential in New Zealand at the moment.  You won’t be surprised to know Member of Parliament is not on the list. Instead you are recommended to become a wallpaper hanger, roading engineer, dairy farm worker/share milker, I.T engineer or plumber. Personally I think [...] read more
  September 4, 2008 1:47 pm - 5 Comments
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  Oil price reaches new all-time high

  
  
  
  It’s not that significant that oil is bouncing around the US$100 mark, as oil prices fluctuate madly as a matter of course. What is interesting about today’s high is that in inflation adjusted terms, it is the highest price ever. We have broken through that 1980 price ceiling. I remember that 1980 oil-fired recession and [...] read more
  March 4, 2008 9:39 am - 28 Comments
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  How to deal with a recession

  
  
  
  There’s been lots of talk about a looming recession this week.  It would be interesting to see what the other parties’ policy proposals would be in the event of a recession.  The traditional conservative response would be to balance the books by cutting expenditure; Tighten your belt and tough it out.  By contrast you’d expect [...] read more
  January 24, 2008 9:21 am - 88 Comments