ISSUE NO. 78

5th May 2025

Opinions:

• TikTok’s Ticking Clock: At the Crossroads of Politics, Privacy and Public Opinion

• From Disruption to Distraction: Tesla’s 2025 Tightrope

Partner Columns:

• Forsyth Barr FOCUS: Trumped-Up Volatility: Keep Calm and Carry On

Measuring Up? New Zealand’s Standardised Testing Debate

On the 2nd July 2024, the New Zealand government announced the introduction of standardised testing in primary schools, a decision that has sparked widespread debate among educators, parents, and policymakers.

Hannah Jones 14 October 2024

A House of Cards: The History of Fletcher Building

How does a monopoly fail? The answer, as New Zealanders have discovered, lies in something as mundane as plasterboard.

Meghana Gaddam 16 September 2024

Are New Zealand’s Public Markets Worth Fighting For?

The state of New Zealand’s listed equity market was succinctly captured by a source quoted in the NBR last month. “Nobody gives a shit about the NZX.”

James Maclean 20 May 2024

14th October 2024 | Andrew Meng | Interview by Isabella Ho & Yasmin Coombe

This month we spoke to Andrew Meng, an investment banking analyst at Goldman Sachs and prior Bulletin Editor. Andrew graduated from the University of Auckland in 2023 with a Bachelors of Commerce and Engineering majoring in finance, economics and mechanical engineering.

26th August 2024 | Sam Simpson | Interview by James Maclean & Evan Manning

In this edition, we’re chatting with Sam Simpson, an investment banker at UBS with a breadth of experience in finance and law. In our interview, Sam shares insights on his time at university, discusses the decisions that shaped his career path and offers advice to current students on how to make a strong impression when interviewing for a graduate role.

12th August 2024 | Logan Rainey | Interview by Francesca Masfen & Meghana Gaddam

Our most recent guest is Logan Rainey, whose career path takes us from the corridors of property advocacy to the intricate world of transport policy. Logan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics & Politics and a Master's in Public Policy from the University of Auckland. His dissertation on Build-to-Rent housing earned him the New Zealand Business and Parliament Trust Prize. Logan has made significant strides in the private and public sectors, recently moving from a critical role at Property Council New Zealand to his current position as a Senior Advisor at the Ministry of Transport.

Riley Bogard-Allan Editor-in-Chief

Isabella Ho Sub-Editor

Skip Gee Senior Writer

Devika Modak Senior Writer

Daniel Gunho-Song Writer

Yasmin Coombe Writer

Andy Tran Writer

Meghana Gaddam Writer

Connor Petrie Writer

Yao Ming Lee Writer

Alice Hout Writer

Waejen Kwan Writer

Bella Crawford Writer

Sohum Karl Writer

Oliver Turnbull Writer

Lisa Shiozawa Writer

Hunter Sari Writer

Manav Treekam Writer

Annabelle Larsen Writer

Interest rate cuts rolling in

The New Zealand economy has been bouncing in and out of recession for the past 18 months. Households and businesses are experiencing a significant slowdown, while at the same time, the government is tightening its purse strings. It’s clear that lower interest rates are needed to revive demand. With inflation finally easing, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from 5.50% to 5.25% in August. Interest rate markets are pricing the OCR to fall to 3% by the end of 2025.