Marc Daalder

1 week ago | newsroom.co.nz | Marc Daalder

More than 18 months into its term, the Government has passed more bills through Parliament under urgency without a select committee process than any since at least 1987. As of Saturday evening, when Parliament adjourned after another three days of urgency following the Budget, 24 laws had been passed without a select committee stage.

1 week ago | newsroom.co.nz | Marc Daalder

Wellbeing requirements added to the Public Finance Act by the previous Labour government will be removed by the coalition Government, with amendments introduced to Parliament under urgency on Budget Day. The changes, which had their first reading late on Saturday and have been referred to a select committee for a standard process, would end the consideration of non-monetary factors such as loneliness, mental health or housing quality when governments craft their Budgets. Already have an account?

1 week ago | newsroom.co.nz | Marc Daalder

A new policy manifesto from electrification advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa has notched a success already, with Energy Minister Simon Watts confirming he's open to adopting one of its most critical proposals. Nearly 60 policies are included in Rewiring's roadmap to electrifying New Zealand, with each ranked on a 1-10 scale from lower to higher impact. Already have an account?

2 weeks ago | newsroom.co.nz | Marc Daalder

Analysis: On its face, the Government’s Investment Boost policy is hard to argue with. It is, in effect, accelerated depreciation. Businesses can deduct an extra 20 percent of a new asset’s value from their taxable income in the first year, before depreciation proceeds as normal. “It is designed to encourage firms to make more growth-enhancing investments now and into the future,” says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

2 weeks ago | newsroom.co.nz | Marc Daalder

The $200 million announced in Thursday's Budget to allow the Government to buy a stake in new offshore gas fields could be just the start, Resources Minister Shane Jones told Newsroom. With the first $200m set aside in a contingency fund while a Schedule 4 company or other structure is set up, Jones said he had the tentative agreement of acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop to boost it if more developers come seeking support. Already have an account?