Question

Write the Policy Responses in New Zealand (~600 words)

Outline the key fiscal and monetary policy actions, respectively, of New Zealand against the COVID-19 shocks(already outlined below) and use appropriate macroeconomic models and theories covered in this course to explain their expected impacts. Discuss any limitations of these policy actions.

TIPS:

⮚ If there are many policy actions, you could list all of them but focus on the key ones for discussion.

⮚ The government may take multiple actions (e.g. subsidising firms; providing cash handouts to households) and each action may have different impacts and effectiveness. ⮚ Fiscal and monetary policy actions have different limitations (e.g. effect lags; ability to target specific sectors). You should discuss their relative effectiveness in dealing with the pandemic shocks.

⮚ You could discuss how the behaviours of households and businesses, and the prepandemic macroeconomic conditions (e.g. very low interest rates) may affect the effectiveness of the policy actions.

⮚ You could discuss the potential drawbacks of the policy actions (e.g. building up of debts; inflating asset bubbles).

⮚ You could contrast the policy actions of your countries with some other countries if that helps to explain the pros and cons of the policy actions of New Zealand

Key Policy Responses as of October 8, 2020

FISCAL

• With the FY2020-21 budget and previous fiscal packages, the government has announced fiscal measures amounting to a total of NZ$58.5 billion (19.5 percent of GDP) through FY2023-24. The total amount includes the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund, of which NZ$14.1 billion have been set aside as contingency for a possible second wave. Announced fiscal measures include: (i) healthcare-related spending to reinforce capacity (NZ$0.8 billion or 0.3 percent of GDP); (ii) a permanent increase in social spending to protect vulnerable people (total NZ$2.4 billion or 0.8 percent of GDP); (iii) a wage subsidy to support employers severely affected by the impact of COVID-19 (NZ$14.8 billion or 4.9 percent of GDP); (iv) income relief payments to support people who lost their jobs (NZ$0.6 billion or 0.2 percent of GDP); (v) a permanent change in business taxes to help cashflow (NZ$2.8 billion or 0.9 percent of GDP); (vi) infrastructure investment (NZ$3.8 billion or 1.3 percent of GDP); (vii) transport projects (NZ$0.6 billion or 0.2 percent of GDP); (viii) a temporary tax loss carry-back scheme (NZ$3.1 billion or 1.0 percent of GDP); (ix) support for the aviation sector (NZ$0.6 billion or 0.2 percent of GDP); (x) a tourism recovery package (NZ$0.4 billion or 0.1 percent of GDP); (xi) a government housing program (NZ$0.7 billion or 0.2 percent of GDP); and (xii) school infrastructure upgrades (NZ$0.2 billion or 0.1 percent of GDP). The government has also approved a NZ$0.9 billion debt funding agreement (convertible to equity) with Air New Zealand to ensure continued freight operations, domestic flights and limited international flights. The New Zealand government also provides loans of up to NZ$100,000 to small businesses that employ 50 or less employees (NZ$5.2 billion). In addition, on March 28 the government announced temporary removal of tariffs on all medical and hygiene imports needed for the COVID-19 response.

MONETARY AND MACRO-FINANCIAL

• The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept the official cash rate (OCR) at 0.25 percent on September 23, unchanged since the OCR was reduced by 75 basis points on March 17. In August, to further ease monetary policy, the RBNZ expanded the Large-Scale Asset Purchase program (LSAP) to purchase government bonds and Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA) in the secondary market from up to NZ$60 billion for 12 months to a maximum of NZ$100 billion by June 2022. It also announced that a package of additional monetary instruments will remain in active preparation for a possible need for further monetary stimulus, depending on the outlook for inflation and employment. The package of additional instruments includes a negative OCR supported by a Funding for Lending Program (funding retail banks directly at near-OCR) and purchases of foreign assets.

  Since March, the RBNZ has been providing liquidity in the FX swap market and re-established a temporary US dollar swap line (US$30 billion) with the U.S. Federal Reserve. The RBNZ has established a new Term Auction Facility (TAF), which allows banks access to collateralized loans of up to 12 months, and announced a corporate facility in which the RBNZ will offer up to NZ$500 million per week in open market operations with banks against corporate paper and asset-backed securities for 3 months. The RBNZ has also introduced a Term Lending Facility (TLF), a longer-term funding scheme for banks at 0.25 percent for up to 3 years duration initially for six months from May 26. From August 26, the lending term of the TLF has been extended to 5 years and the facility has been extended to Feb 1, 2021. Access to the TLF is linked to each banks’ lending under a NZ$6.25 billion Business Finance Guarantee Scheme (BFGS) in which the government covers 80 percent of the credit risk and will require approved eligible collateral. The BFGS was expanded in August, increasing the maximum loan amount from NZ$0.5 million to NZ$5 million, lengthening the maximum term from three to five years, and allowing more loan access by medium-sized firms. The RBNZ has reduced the banks’ core funding ratio requirement to 50 percent from 75 percent to help banks make credit available.

  To further support the stability of the financial system, the start date for a regulatory change requiring higher capital for banks has been postponed for 12 months, to July 2021 (to support up to about NZ$47 billion of additional lending), with other regulatory initiatives in the pipeline also put on hold for at least six months. The RNBZ has also agreed with the banks that during this period there will be no dividend payments on ordinary shares and redemption of non-CET1 capital instruments. The RBNZ has removed, effective as of May 1, mortgage loan-to-value ratio (LVR) restrictions for the next 12 months.

  The New Zealand government, the RBNZ, and the New Zealand Bankers Association have also announced a number of financial measures to support SMEs and homeowners. These include six-month principal and interest repayment deferrals to mortgage holders and SMEs affected by COVID-19 and the BFGS.

  Other related measures taken by the government that could contribute to financial stability include a six-month freeze on residential rent increases until September 25 and restrictions against tenancy terminations during March-June. The Business Debt Hibernation process allows businesses to place their existing debts on hold for up to seven months.

EXCHANGE RATE AND BALANCE OF PAYMENTS

• The exchange rate has been allowed to adjust flexibly.

Answer 1

The Treasury is leading work across government on New Zealand's economic response to COVID-19, to:

cushion the financial blow to whānau and families, workers, businesses and communities from the impacts of COVID-19

position New Zealand for recovery, and

reset and rebuild our economy.

Our advice has supported the Government to put in place a broad range of initiatives. While it has been important to move quickly to limit the economic damage of COVID-19, we are also working to measure the effectiveness of this spending and inform decisions about any further measures that may be necessary.

The Treasury is also taking a longer-term view, providing ongoing advice to the Government about how the evolving global situation might impact New Zealand’s economic resilience and the intergenerational wellbeing of New Zealanders, and the options for recovery.

Overview of measures announced

September 2020

At midday on 28 September 2020, changes took effect relating to who is eligible for the Leave Support Scheme and the length of payments. Find out more about these changes on the Work and Income website: Changes to the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme (workandincome.govt.nz)

August 2020

On 21 August the Government announced a new two-week wage subsidy available to businesses that experienced a 40% revenue drop across a 14-day period between 12 August and 10 September when compared to a similar period last year. Applications for the COVID-19 wage subsidies have now closed. If you have staff who meet certain health criteria and can't work because of COVID-19, you may be able to apply for the COVID-19 Leave Support Scheme.

Post-Budget 2020

After Budget 2020, $20.2 billion remained in the CRRF fund. Investments made since then include:

extension of the Wage Subsidy Scheme and the COVID Income Relief Payment for those who lost their income as a result of the pandemic

extension to the Small Business Cashflow Scheme, and

additional funding for personal protective equipment for health providers.

Further support for ongoing health, border and economic response measures has occurred, and investment of $760 million to help councils upgrade their Three-Waters infrastructure.

As at 20 July, $14 billion remained in the COVID Response and Recovery Fund, which is now being set aside in the event that, for example, New Zealand experiences a second wave of the pandemic.

May 2020: Budget 2020 and the COVID Response and Recovery Fund

Budget 2020, delivered by the Minister of Finance on 14 May, complemented the initial response to COVID-19. The core of the Budget focused on meeting cost pressures and supporting public services to fight and rebuild from COVID-19. The $50 billion COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF) established in the Budget supports initiatives from the Budget and further measures announced since.