Another chief economist doubts Labour’s costs

The National Bank Chief Economist has come out in support of the Westpac Chief Economist’s analysis of the costs of Labour’s student loan bribe.

So let’s be very precise about this. The only person claiming it will cost what Mallard says it will cost is Mallard. The PM has refused 100% to let it be costed by Treasury, IRD or the Ministry of Education.

On the other side you have now two leading economists saying it is inevitable it will cost more than what Labour claims.

The other important issue here is the concern expressed by John McDermott on Labour’s attacks on his Westpac colleague. As McDermott says such attacks stifle comment and debate.

Even the former CTU economist and Cullen staffer Peter Harris refused on national radio yesterday to back the costings. If he won’t back it, then no-one would I suggest.