Finance

2020 CFO Summit Connect: Fran O’Sullivan & Dr Alan Bollard

The 2020 CFO Summit Connect, chaired by Fran O’Sullivan, provided the latest information about political and economic trends, governance, risk and capital frameworks, and culture and forward-thinking concepts from global and local experts. In the video below Dr Alan Bollard discusses the New Zealand Economy under COVID-19. With global turbulence rising for trade policy and trade rules, and protectionism back …

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By sacking staff and closing stores, big businesses like The Warehouse could hurt their own long-term interests

Jonathan Baker, Auckland University of Technology To paraphrase Winston Churchill, it is curious to see The Warehouse Group (TWG) not letting a good crisis go to waste. Despite recently receiving NZ$68 million in government wage subsidies as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, TWG has now proposed store closures and more than 1000 staff layoffs across its Warehouse, Noel Leeming …

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Crisis, disintegration and hope: only urgent intervention can save New Zealand’s media

Wayne Hope, Auckland University of Technology How many media analysts predicted it? In 2018 Australia’s Nine Entertainment absorbed Fairfax Media and its New Zealand subsidiary Stuff. Just under two years later chief executive Sinead Boucher bought Stuff from Nine for a dollar. The bold move saved New Zealand’s largest newspaper publisher and online news site from uncertainty at best, closure …

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Kindness doesn’t begin at home: Jacinda Ardern’s support for beneficiaries lags well behind Australia’s

Michael Fletcher, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington One of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s favourite exhortations is that we all “be kind” to one another. It’s part of the reason she and her government have won admiration around the world for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their latest income support program, however, has led many …

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Australian economy must come ‘out of ICU’: Scott Morrison

Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra Scott Morrison says it is vital to get the Australian economy “out of ICU” and “off the medication” of government support “before it becomes too accustomed to it”. In speech on his government’s plans to reset economic growth over the next three to five years, Morrison says, “We must enable our businesses to earn our …

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Coronavirus won’t kill globalisation – but a shakeup is inevitable

Jun Du, Aston University; Agelos Delis, Aston University; Mustapha Douch, Aston University, and Oleksandr Shepotylo, Aston University The COVID-19 pandemic is now expected to trigger the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Many argue it could unravel globalisation altogether. Globalisation relies on complex links – global value chains (GVCs) – that connect producers across multiple countries. These producers often …

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Recession hits Māori & Pasifika harder: they must be part of planning NZ’s recovery

Tahu Kukutai, University of Waikato; Helen Moewaka Barnes, Massey University; Tim McCreanor, Massey University, and Tracey Mcintosh As schools and businesses reopen and attention shifts to the longer-term repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that Māori be involved in decision making more equitably than has so far happened. The failure to include Māori in strategy discussions throughout the …

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