The risk of asset bubbles forming, and eventually bursting is a significant risk to our countries financial stability. This risk is not new: the U.S. housing market bubble and crash which fuelled the global financial crisis in 2008 and the bursting of the housing bubble in 2007 on both sides of the Irish Sea are some recent examples. When financial stability is in question, asset values...

tags: rbnz, reserve bank of new zealand, housing, loan to value ratio, speed limits, capital gains tax

This is a piece by Michael Nelson, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University and Senior Analyst, Bloomberg Government, talking about innovation policy and the general myths which surround this.

Full article can be found here.

tags: innovation, michael nelson, policy, r&d, patents

Our most recent CEO Forum featured Dr Girol Karacaoglu, Deputy Secretary, Macroeconomics, International and Economic Research/ Chief Economist at The Treasury. Weather delayed his trip down to Christchurch, meaning the planned presentation was missed but time remained for a question and answer session.

Girol posed a question to the audience: What would manufacturers and exporters...

tags: dr girol karacaoglu, manufacturing, exporting, exchange rate, policy, capital gains tax, reform

I recently had an email from member asking about all the claimed positivity that has been reported in the manufacturing sector, specifically by the PMI.

Here is the conversation:

Hi John,

Just give me a reality check here please!

As I understand it, the number is a relative measure, not an absolute one? So when the index shows “the biggest...

tags: manufacturing, pmi, survey, data, exports

I recently took part in a debate on Radio New Zealand, which aimed to discuss manufacturing in New Zealand and think about such questions as: Is there a crisis? If so, how could it be corrected? How can New Zealand manufacturers survive and prosper into the future?

The conversation included Patrick O’Meara of Radio NZ, Dr Oliver Hartwich the executive director of the New...

tags: radio new zealand, manufacturing, exports, debate, crisis, new zealand institute, eroad

What is going on in manufacturing across New Zealand? Listen to some and there is no issue; listen to others there is a crisis. Who should be listened to? What is the reality? Where is the evidence? What do the numbers say?

What we see depends a good deal on where we stand, what we hear and who we talk to, and in politics, the picture that must be painted. All sides of the...

tags: manufacturing, manufacturing inquiry, exports, politics, elaborate, elaborate manufacturing, value added

The Manufacturing Inquiry has been finished and the final report released. It sets out a path for policy change to correct imbalances and barriers effecting manufacturers in New Zealand.

The report can be read

tags: manufacturing, exports, manufacturing inquiry, exchange rate

A recent article featured in The Press entitled “Future of factory to be decided soon” outlined Woolston based gelatine producer Gelita’s upcoming decision: will they invest 18 million dollars necessary to restore their Woolston site? We have already produced two articles around this...

tags: manufacturing, gelita, reverse sensitivity, mobile nimbys, exports

The following video was passed to me by NZMEA President Brian Willoughby. It provides an interesting view of manufacturing by James Griffith, the CEO of global manufacturing company Timken. He outlines the importance of adding value, connecting parts of the business seamlessly and the value of skills and innovation.

Video link

tags: timken, manufacturing, innovation, adding value, business, james griffith, exporting

Since the opinion piece “Mobile NIMBYs” was printed, we have received a number of comments, both for and against our position. Here I would like to address some of these and hopefully move the discussion forward.

There was the comment, why don’t such...

tags: nimby, reverse sensitivty, christchurch, woolston, manufacturing, industry