Ahiahi mārie, welcome to The Spinoff Daily. Today on The Spinoff: The science sector shake-up, explained. Plus: the best local TV and movies to look forward to in 2025, and, while you wait, where to watch all the big awards season favourites. But first: Toby Manhire watches the PM launch a year of growth with a war on nojo.
“Growth, said Christopher Luxon yesterday. Growth, growth, growth. Growth ‘unlocked’, he said. Growth ‘unleashed’. Growth ‘supercharged’ and ‘turbocharged’. In a speech to the Auckland Business Chamber he used the word so many times – 43 – I feared a beanstalk might spontaneously sprout from the lush blue curtains of the Cordis ballroom and burst through the turquoise chandeliers. The theme of the state of the nation speech picked up where Luxon left off in his Sunday reshuffle, which included putting Nicola Willis into the portfolio formerly known as economic development, now rebranded as economic growth. It was a home crowd – which Luxon appeared to relish – but not a wholly contented one. Business confidence is inching up, but stubbornly. More troubling is the wider public perception. Among a range of dismal numbers for National in last week’s Curia poll for the Taxpayers’ Union, the most alarming was the finding that 53% of respondents thought the country was moving in the wrong direction, compared with 39% who said the opposite. That net result of -14 marked a steep drop from +3 a month earlier. The prime minister only used his go-to mojo mantra once – half as many times as he invoked, curiously, ‘the bakers and miners that came before me’ – but that was what he meant. Yesterday was about whacking the starter motor with a hammer, of jolting out of the doldrums into a virtuous circle: confidence begets growth and growth begets confidence and somewhere along the way the mojometer goes ding.”
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Last June the economists at Kiwibank published an article titled “Survive ‘til 25”, outlining what they saw as a tough six months ahead for our economy. Well we’ve made it to 2025, but is the economic year ahead going to be about surviving or thriving? This week on When the Facts Change, Kiwibank economist Sabrina Delgado joins Bernard Hickey to try and find out. Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Join us live in 2025We have four fantastic live events coming up in 2025. Join us in Auckland and Wellington for The Spinoff Live. Auckland at Q Theatre: Bryn & Ku’s Singles Club Party, February 13 and Gone by Lunchtime Live, April 9. Wellington at the Hannah Playhouse: The Fold Live, February 20 and The Spinoff Book Club, March 13.
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In with the mojo, out with the nojo
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