From the Wall Street Journal (gated) overnight is this: New Zealand Economy Appears Vulnerable as Election Nears

It’s a bit of a look at the New Zealand economy ahead of the election (September 20) in the wake of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand decision yesterday (access posts on this from here).

The article covers:

  • sliding dairy prices
  • the effect earlier RBNZ rate rises on the economy
  • The pushing back of the next rate rise expectation to March – June 2015 (instead of around December – January previously thought likely)

And, on the election:

  • latest major opinion poll shows around 46% backing for Mr. Key’s center-right National Party and 39% for a likely coalition of the left-leaning Labour Party and pro-environment Green Party. Though National remains favorite to win, governments under New Zealand’s proportional-representation system have always been coalitions—which means the party would continue to rely on support from several smaller parties to stop Labor getting in.

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Nothing of too much surprise in the article at all, but a reasonable review (if brief)