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 HickeyCutting funds now, but increasing costs later
Mōrena. Here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, August 19: 1. When the myopia of…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyIntroducing The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)
Kia ora. I got up yesterday morning to write my usual end-of-the-week reflections of the six main things that happened in our political economy in the last…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWeekly Climate Wrap: Will the planet run AMOC?
TL;DR: Here’s the top news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to August 16
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe longer recession the RBNZ and the Govt decided we had to have
Kia ora. Long stories short: * The RBNZ was forced to make a dramatic about-turn yesterday, cutting rates after the slowdown it wanted was turbocharged into a…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow not to win friends and tax people
Morena. Long stories short: * Simeon Brown is pushing ahead with a congestion charging plan that centralises control in Wellington and fails to first show the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyDeficits are not the constraint we think they are
TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Monday, August 12: 1. Thinking differently about what…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWeekly Climate Wrap: Olympians broil as European temps continue to soar
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to August 10
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWillis screws down fiscal lid even tighter
TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Thursday, August 8 are: 1. Willis screws down Govt…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow Aotearoa's political economy works
TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, August 7 are: 1. Willis ‘does the right…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyInside NZ's Housing Theory of Everything
TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Tuesday, August 6 are: 1. Global markets rout to…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to August 2
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about revolts…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWeekly Climate Wrap: The methane mess
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe week the mask came off an Austerity Government, revealing front-line job cuts
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are: * The National-ACT-NZ First’s…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHealth NZ directors accuse PM of disinformation
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are: * Two former directors of Te…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe day our health system crumbled
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are: * Decades of underfunding, a botched…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWeekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to July 26
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about the Royal…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are: * Transport and Energy Minister Simeon…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeySolutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWhy we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are: * Decades of underinvestment at the same…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWeekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to July 19
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with: * The…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyGovt flounders while ocean temps soar
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items of climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to July 12
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with: * The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to June 14
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with: * The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyClimate policy axed in broad daylight, while taxpayer liabilities grow in the dark
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyFarmers get free pass on climate AND get subsidies
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, June 12 were: * The Government exempts farm…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyJones: 'NZ has to mine its way to the future'
TL;DR: The six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty in the past day to 8:36 pm on Monday, June 10 were: *…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyBernard’s Saturday soliloquy and weekend Pick ‘n’ Mix for June 8/9
TL;DR: On reflection, the six things to note in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty this week were: * The Government-driven…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to June 7
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features Bernard Hickey talking with: * The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyDid we boil the oceans by cutting pollution?
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyCancer charities excoriate Government
TL;DR: The Government is now being engulfed in a firestorm of protest over its decision not to fund 13 cancer treatments in this year’s Budget, breaking a…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyFalling monkeys and 'kitty cat' storms
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to June 1
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking with: * The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWillis borrows an extra $12b to pay for $14.7b of tax cuts
TL;DR: Finance Minister Nicola Willis has delivered her first Budget, deciding to go ahead with long-promised tax cuts despite a weaker economy that is forcing…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyA 'cost of living relief' Budget for some, but not others
TL;DR: The new Government’s first Budget due today at 2:00 pm is focused on delivering ‘cost of living relief’ in the form of income tax cuts for middle income…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWhen ‘back on track’ meant going into reverse
TL;DR: The National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government won last year’s election with a pledge to ‘get things done’ and ‘get New Zealand back on track,’ while…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHow much climate reality can the global financial system take without collapsing?
TL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to May 24
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale talking about this week’s Kainga…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyHouse-builders in limbo for longer while Govt focuses on paying for tax cuts
TL;DR: The Government released the long-awaited Bill English-led review of Kāinga Ora yesterday, but delayed key decisions on its build plan and how to help…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to May 17
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guest Robert Patman…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyA generation is leaving at a rate of one A320-load per day
TL;DR: The economy and housing market is sinking into a longer recession through the winter after a slump in business and consumer confidence in the March…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWhy we almost blacked out and how to fix it
TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to May 10
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guest Robert Patman…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyA nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
TL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown that carving…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to May 3
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guests Robert Patman…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyAgribusiness following oil and gas playbook
TL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyWorst poll result for a new Government in MMP history
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 9:06am on Monday, April 29: * The Lead: A…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyCoalition's dirge of austerity and uncertainty is driving the economy into a deeper recession
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:06am on Monday, April 29: * The Lead: The…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey'Lacks attention to detail and is creating double-standards.'
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25…
The Kākā by Bernard Hickey'This bill is dangerous for the environment and our democracy'
TL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included: * A crescendo of…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 19
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and Cathrine Dyer on…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe ‘Humpty Dumpty’ end result of dismantling our environmental protections
TL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyStudy sees climate change baking in 19% lower global income by 2050
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyShould the RBNZ be looking through climate inflation?
My pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond from the last 24 hours to 9:46 am on Thursday, April 18 are: * The Lead…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyIs saving one minute of a politician's time worth nearly $1 billion?
TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me in the last day to 8:26 am today are: * The Lead: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced yesterday he had…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyGovt ignored economic analysis of smokefree reversal
TL;DR: The six news items that stood out to me at 7:26 am today are: * The Lead: Casey Costello never passed on to Cabinet official advice with an analysis for…
The Kākā by Bernard HickeyThe Hoon around the week to April 12
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts Bernard Hickey and Peter Bale, along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, Merja Myllylahti on…