Revisting Kiwibank (to be done...)

It will be interesting to revisit the question of banks and adequecy given the apparent meltdown in the global financial markets over the past period of time - not least to contrast the movements of this "pillar" in the NZ market versus the exposed international banks; but also versus my pet favorite TSB.  Not least to see whether the inclusion of KiwiBank by the media in the "major banks" categorisation is warranted, as versus the exclusion of both TSB and HSBC from this reporting...

How disconnected can you get?

I felt a sense of bewilderment and amazement this morning as I read through the headlines related to the Government, its actions and the populaces reactions.

How can you be that disconnected that while you are hiking road user charges to the point the Truckies revolt ala France (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10519878)
and creating legislation to hike petrol prices yet again (by city councils) (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10519903)

you can still have the level of cognitive dissonance to turn around and say the Reserve Bank is failing to contain inflation pressures and needs new tools (without coming up with any suggestions mind you)... (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10519838)

How long does it take this Government to realize that the only tool the Reserve Bank needs is a finance minister with more clues than a history teacher? One that can draw the conclusion hiking petrol and transport costs = higher inflation. On this point the history teacher even seems to be failing his own subject - it's not even predictions that are needed for that conclusion.

I cannot say how much dread and foreboding this incites

For your information the Reserve Bank released this news release a short
time ago

News release

11 June 2007, 3.45pm


Reserve Bank confirms forex intervention


The Reserve Bank confirmed it has intervened today in the foreign
exchange market to sell New Zealand dollars.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard said: "As stated in our June
Monetary Policy Statement, we regard current levels of the exchange rate
as exceptional and unjustified in terms of the economic fundamentals.

"This action does not prejudge the future direction of monetary policy,
which as always will remain dependent on emerging economic trends.

"The action is consistent with clause 4(b) of the Policy Targets
Agreement, which requires monetary policy to avoid unnecessary
instability in the exchange rate."



For further information contact:
Mike Hannah
Head of Communications
Ph 04 4713671, 021 497418, mike.hannah@rbnz.govt.nz

Budget and Economy conference

Had a fascinating evening at the FINSIA Government Speaks event on Wednesday with Tony Alexander, Bill English and Phil Goff giving their views on the budget and economy; enlivened via the expert MC in Barry Soper.

Of course it probably would have been even better had Trevor Mallard turned up as scheduled rather than scarpering at the last moment to Valencia as he realised that otherwise he was going to miss his photo shoot opportunity with Team NZ winning.Typical of politicians in general, but the current administration in particular; sod any other commitments if there is a good looking photo on offer...

Bill English, despite looking like he'd just stepped off a flight back from Europe with too much 1st class alcohol, gave a pretty god account;but the real star speech of the night certainly went to Tony Alexander. With Billy Bowden (of old) exuberance he gave some interesting and challenging views on the economy, direction and views on what the Reserve Bank has and should be doing around inflation.It's just a shame that he needed to heavily contradict himself under questioning around the points of consumer import spending being a one off catchup under the high dollar (his view); as this significantly weakened his arguments that otherwise would have had a greater impact on my viewpoints.

Overall though a spectacular event; and looking forward to the next!