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1 week ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
New job statistics just dropped and they're kind of a mixed bag. Unemployment's holding steady at 5.1 per cent, better than expected for sure, but dig a little deeper and the picture gets a wee bit fuzzier. Full-time jobs down 45,000 over the past year, part-time jobs up 25,000. That is quite a shift, isn't it? Around one in five people now work part-time. For women, it's even more, nearly one in three. What's going on?
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1 week ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
Anthony Albanese has won another term as Australia's Prime Minister with his Labor Party, holding off the Liberal National Coalition, in a result that we'll arguably notice here in New Zealand, especially by the Labour Party. Albanese's win was perhaps steady, but also spectacular, and it showed that many Aussies still trust his leadership. He focused on familiar issues, like the cost of living, health care, renewable energy.
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1 week ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
This weekend Australians head to the polls to choose their next Prime Minister and while that might feel like something that only matters across the ditch, there are a few good reasons why here in Aotearoa we should be paying attention. The race is close, Labour leader and current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is hoping for a second term, while Liberal leader Peter Dutton is trying to take the top job.
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2 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
Are we seeing the slow decline of conservative politics around the world? In Canada, just months ago it looked like the conservatives might sweep in with a Trump-style playbook. All the populist bluster that you'd expect - anti-establishment energy - but in a surprise, the centre-left Liberal Party held on. It wasn't a landslide, I'll concede, but it was enough to keep the far-right at bay for now. Then there's Australia.
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2 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
The Government's cutting back on new spending this year, dropping its allowance from $2.4 billion to $1.3 billion. Finance Minister Nicola Willis says it's about focussing on priorities like health, education, law and order, while keeping debt under control. It's a cautious move but it comes with consequences, or in economics speak, it's less stimulus in an already sluggish economy. Less government spending means less support for the economy in the short term.
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2 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
Tory whanau not running for re-election? That's not just political news, it's a damn shame frankly. She didn't just tap out, she got chewed up by a system that loves to crush anyone trying to shake things up. She came in with a vision: fix the city, clean up the mess, and bring back some actual vibes to Wellington. $1.8 billion pumped into fixing the city's broken pipes, which were rotting way before she showed up. She was committed to revamping Courtenay Place, which as a Gen Zer, I'm all for.
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2 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
I had a big, long weekend, I'll be honest: out and about in Wellington, checking out gigs, food spots, the whole shebang, just soaking it all in. It reminded me why I love this place so much. If anything, I'm more convinced than ever that Wellington is still cool as hell. I know the headlines - the public sector's been hit hard, the council's a bit of a mess, and it can feel like everything's falling apart sometimes. But to me at least, Wellington is far from dead. The city is alive.
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3 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
New Zealand First is back with another culture war bill, this time trying to legally define the word “woman” as an “adult human biological female”. On the surface it sounds like they’re trying to bring clarity to legal terms but is it actually that simple? Or is this another move that risks splitting the country even more? Lets not ignore the timing, this follows a similar court ruling in the United Kingdom so it feels very strategic.
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3 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
If you're just waking up this morning - devastating news overnight with Pope Francis being confirmed passing at the age of 88. His passing marks the end of a papacy that redefined what it meant to lead the Catholic Church in the 21st century. He was the first pope from Latin America, and, to me, spoke openly about the climate crisis, championed migrants and refugees, and tried to make the Church more inclusive, especially toward those who had long felt left out, like LGBTQ+ Catholics.
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4 weeks ago | 
pmn.co.nz | William Terite
Wellington's mayoralty election is heating up and honestly I'm here for it - much more exciting. Andrew Little has entered the chat, fresh from national politics promising to fix things eventually. Emphasis on eventually, because he's come out saying that he wants to perhaps delay the golden mile. I don't know about that. He also acknowledges rates are too high but hasn't said what he'd cut. It's kind of like complaining about the bill but disappearing when it's time to split it.
