This week Cabinet may give clarity around when the regional borders – particularly Auckland’s hard border – get removed. There may also be firmer indications about the start of the Traffic Light System, given the fevered speculation that is stirring. Auckland will go Red around November 30th (nudge, wink), but what about elsewhere?
It is crunch time for Christmas and summer holiday planning. Knowing when and under what circumstances people can leave Auckland is critical for organising well-earned breaks and catch-ups with friends and relatives that haven’t been possible for months. Holiday destinations up and down the country need to plan for whether a third of the country is going to be mobile over summer. More soberingly, much of the rest of the country is also going to need to get used to the idea that COVID is going to spread to their region in coming months. It will be the summer of COVID.
Mark joined ASB in 2017, with over 20 years of public and private sector experience working as an economist in New Zealand and the UK.
His resume includes lengthy stints at ANZ and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and he has also worked at the Bank of England, HM Treasury and the New Zealand Transport Agency. Mark's areas of specialisation include interest rate strategy, macro-economic analysis and urban economics.
Born and bred in the Waikato, Mark studied at Waikato University where he graduated with a Master of Social Sciences, majoring in Economics.
Mark's key strengths are the ability to use his extensive experience, inquisitive nature, analytical ability, creativity and pragmatism to dig a little deeper and to deliver common sense solutions to tackle complex problems.
When not at work Mark likes to travel, keep fit and spend time with his friends and family.