Shows / The Kākā by Bernard Hickey
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey
Bernard Hickey and friends explore Aotearoa’s political economy together.
thekaka.substack.com
Episodes
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Eastern European history & NZ; Election 2026; the RBNZ’s surprise hold & limited fiscal choices
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Chloe Swarbrick on the Green fiscal plan
I interviewed Green Party Co-Leader Chloe Swarbrick this evening about the party’s fiscal plan for Election 2026. The full interview is above and available for…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Ganesh Nana on fiscal plans in Election 2026
Thank you Virginia McMillan, PixieMatt, Alistair Schorn, Gill Franklin, Toni S, and many others for tuning into my live video with Ganesh R Ahirao! Join me for…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Elliot Crossan on fiscal plans for Election 2026
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekaka.substack.com/subscribe
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyBrand new Hospital ICU ward sits empty as 80% of new public health spend sent to private sector
Mōrena. It must feel frustrating to be a taxpayer who sees massive growth in public health funding, but can also see public hospital EDs, ICUs and wards…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyEarly closure set to strip 80,000 voters from roll
One way to ‘win’ an election is to make sure your opponents’ potential supporters can’t vote at all. It seems to be working for the National-led Government…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Luxon’s Opportunity and risk; Stories from the front line of NZ’s systemic health system collapse
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWill we have PM Erica Stanford by Christmas?
Discussion is building within National Party circles that Christopher Luxon will have to be replaced as Leader immediately after the election if he sticks with…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Simon Wilson
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekaka.substack.com/subscribe
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe heavy sinking lids in Labour’s Budget plan
I talked in the video above last night with Elliot Crossan about about his analysis of Labour’s fiscal plan, including how its National-like focus on returning…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow NZ politicians are using Facebook in Election 2026
I talked with Dr Mona Krewel in the video above about how New Zealand’s political parties and leaders are using Facebook so far in Election 2026. She is the…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey64,000 young voters yet to enrol with 4 days to go
Mōrena. This election should be about choices we make for the young and future generations, especially the choices made by those voting for the first time and…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey & Dr Rosie Gallen
Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. Here’s the post from Rosie we discussed. This is a public…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey & Huhana Hickey ahead of Election 2026
Thank you Ken Howell, Graham Collins, and many others for tuning into my live video with Huhana Hickey! Join me for my next live video in the app. Here’s the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Gwynn Compton on Local Government
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekaka.substack.com/subscribe
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyCharities & doctors plead for Govt action on child poverty & hospital staffing
Kia ora. This election is all about cost-of-living pressure, stagnant economic growth and a healthcare system in the deadly and awful process of collapsing…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey & Morgan Edwards on when our Govt 'ran out of money'
University of Otago finance academic Morgan Edwards has discovered through an Official Information Act request to Treasury and the Reserve Bank that the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live with Bernard Hickey and Bryce Edwards on Cost of Living and Election 2026
The discussion above is about Bryce Edwards’ substack post on this University of Otago survey published this week. I also covered the survey results yesterday…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThis story should dominate the election debate
Mōrena. This election campaign has struggled so far to focus on one issue or find a major policy conflict that resonates and ignites intense public debate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Election climate policies compared; Living costs & hospital collapses (should) dominate NZ election debates
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey48% now feel they have to leave NZ to get ahead
Mōrena. Voters are most focused on cost of living and underfunded hospitals in this election campaign. National leader Christopher Luxon was criticised in the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyTreasury’s forecasts wrong on jobs & wealth effect
Both National and Labour are relying on Treasury forecasts of household and business investment growth happening at the same time as falling house prices…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyNational & Labour fiscal plans lock in stagnation
Mōrena. The six things to know in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate today are: * National has released its fiscal plan, which…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: National & Labour budget tracks near identical; Climate distrust; Foreign aid cuts
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live Election Mini-Hoon with Elliot Crossan
Thank you Maurizio Piglia, Brian Rathbone, Ken Howell, Tim, Tony Pomfret, and many others for tuning into my live video with Elliot Crossan! Join me for my…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live Election Chat with Michael Swanson
I had a great chat this evening with the University of Otago’s Michael Swanson about MMP and vote-splitting after he produced this excellent substack post: The…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyKiwiStack Live Election policy interview on fuel & car repair costs with Labour's Arena Williams
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thekaka.substack.com/subscribe
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: The ‘find out’ stage of NZ’s climate + FTAs strategy; A roadtrip to focus on NZ’s health crises
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey‘Fiscal drag’ + ‘sinking lid’ = early(er) surpluses
Treasury formally fired the starter’s gun on the economic and fiscal debates in Election 2026 today, publishing its statutorily required opening-of-the-books…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Nicky Hager’s book; OIA avoidance; Attacks on the UN; Cost of living & Election 2026
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyReady for $4/l diesel & 6% fixed mortgage rates?
The top news, analysis and commentary about housing, climate & poverty from Aotearoa’s political economy today include: * New surges in diesel prices towards…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyElection Hoon: How should the supermarkets duopoly be broken up?
National, Labour, NZ First, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori have all released policies for major state intervention in the supermarkets sector to break up or…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow NZ’s captured economy is eroding democracy & choking progress
Mōrena. The six things to know this morning in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate are: * Labour has proposed forcing both…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Climate mis/dis-info; Arabian nightmares; National gazumps Labour again
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Climate ‘Minsky Moments,’ the rise & rise of AFD; KiwiMart & perfect storms hit our hospitals
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Passing 1.5 degrees, the rise of Q & the Mecca agreement
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyAn unfair, unnecessary & counterproductive rate hike that exposes NZ’s broken economic model
Mōrena. I’m back after a rest and aim to publish on weekdays from now until the end of this election year. I’m also back for this week’s Hoon at 5pm. Here’s…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: El Nino, Iran’s D-Day and the author of ‘Why we think what we think’
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-host Peter Bale talking with regular guests Cathrine Dyer…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: A winter flu crisis & homeless deaths; Climate blame avoidance game; NZ’s shameful silence over the US attacking the ICC
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThursday's Early Bird: Three homeless people freeze to death
Here’s my curation of the day’s top news, analysis, commentary, charts and cartoons from around Aotearoa and elsewhere about our political economy on housing…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyMonday's Early Bird: Land & infrastructure costs at the margins behind our ruinously expensive housing
Here’s my curation of the day’s top news, analysis, commentary, charts and cartoons from around Aotearoa and elsewhere about our political economy on housing…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Luxon lives on; Iran is winning and the role of Jevons Paradox in climate change
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Luxon's MMP musings; NZ's jobspocalypse; Big data centres & sovereignty
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyUnemployment worse than forecast & real wages fall
It couldn’t have been much worse. Unemployment rose and real wages fell. Unemployment rose more than expected to an 11-year high in the June quarter, while…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyA generation being disenfranchised in plain sight
Almost half an entire generation of potential new voters are being disenfranchised in plain sight, with just 95 days to go until the General Election on…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyPM compares NZ businesses to whiny kids
PM Christopher Luxon told struggling small business leaders in Rotorua on Friday to take responsibility for their own businesses, saying it wasn’t his or the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyNational sags again on economy in Ipsos poll
New Zealanders were more concerned than ever about the cost of living, health care, the economy, housing costs and unemployment in early July, according to the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Helen Clark on why Winston Peters should be fired over his 'go home' comments, & on NZ's humiliation on a key UN vote
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow NZ punishes our stressed & jobless youth
It’s as if we’re trying to make them emigrate and we don’t want them to have our grand-kids. The Government has revealed it expects to take away the benefits…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey'Kia ora! Welcome to your job. It'll cost you $60k'
Cases of the most egregious migrant exploitation are now emerging in dribs and drabs through decisions by the Employment Relations Authority, indicating a tip…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWhy NZ should electrify everything ASAP
To emphasise both the risk and the opportunity for New Zealand’s political economy, the price of Brent crude hit US$100 a barrel again on Friday, which is…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Climate gaslighting; Construction turnover & hazardous Houthis
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe only thing NZ has to fear is...fear of debt itself
The Government’s focus on deficit and public debt reduction isn’t working to grow the economy this time around because households are too indebted and…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Luxon's (un)popularity; Middle Powers debate; Another Climate funding fudge
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Downplaying climate scenarios; China's sabre-rattling & Chris Bishop's RONS U-turn
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe way we run the economy isn't working
It’s just not working. We’ve known this for a long time, but we felt it being seared into the body of our political economy all over again yesterday. The…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Govt's housing cuts come home to roost
Aotearoa’s decades-long housing crisis is now deep into another winter of discontent. Last week’s events show the Government’s cuts to state house building and…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Weekly Hoon: Homelessness, Foreign Policy, the Reality of Everything & the gutting of safety reforms
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night featured co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with regular…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHalf a million New Zealanders living in poverty
The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZ CCSS) published a report this morning showing measures of the number of people in Aotearoa who are…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWhat a rewrite of NZ's political & economic DNA might look like
Ganesh R Ahirao published a proposal today for a new Government to pass an Economic Governance Act within 100 days of the November 7 election. It would put…