The age of eligibility to receive New Zealand Superannuation is again being challenged. The usual reason given for raising the age of eligibility is affordability of the scheme. For example the Commission for Financial Capability (formerly the Retirement Commission) in its 2016 Review of Retirement Income Policies justified it by asserting that in 2015/16 New… Read more »

“The Budget Responsibility Rules announced by Labour and the Greens today demonstrates a commitment to maintaining much needed government spending. But more investment is needed,” said CTU President, Richard Wagstaff. “We need a government that has the vision to provide decent health, education, housing and other public services for all Kiwis so everyone gets a good start in life. This… Read more »

Today’s report from the Productivity Commission – New models of tertiary education clearly outlines that the changes the National-led government have made to tertiary education have done more harm than good. CTU Secretary Sam Huggard is concerned. “Beneath the rhetoric of student choice the report is an agenda for more profit driven providers in the tertiary… Read more »

“The weak growth in economic activity, coupled with more people not in work, in the three months to December, have a significantly negative impact on the incomes of working people,” says CTU Economist Bill Rosenberg. “The growth in spending by households in real terms was also weak. We can see why some people say they… Read more »