Around the traps

A few bits from me in these:

• Charlie Mitchell on the IDI. I note that we still need something like an IPUMS front-end to enable greater confidentialised access. I also wish that IDI weren't an afterthought for the government. I'm still annoyed that they wasted time and money on a completely pointless Indicators Aotearoa New Zealand project rather than fixing up systems that should be considered core. Even Infoshare fell over for a few hours yesterday. 


• A chat with Sean Plunkett on student loans, student cost of living, and the case for charging interest on student loans.


• Talked with the Environment Committee about the Emissions Reduction Plan - about 20 minute in on this video. I'd thought I'd seen Brent Edwards in the room. My submission is here.


• Chatted with Jenée Tibshraeny about government debt.


• Anne Gibson noted my submission on building materials supply in her piece in the leadup to yesterday's release of the ComCom draft report. I really liked the report - at least on a quick look through. It hits very well, in detail, on the horrible regulatory and consenting mess facing anyone considering using unfamiliar materials. 


• Had a chat with Hosking about the unemployment numbers, in advance of their release. I don't do unemployment figure forecasting though.