Craig Renney
Craig Renney is the chief economist for the Council of Trade Unions in New Zealand and an influential figure within the Labour Party's economic discussions. He has been vocal about the impact of part-privatisation of gentailers on energy prices and has published research highlighting the prioritization of dividends over investment in renewable energy generation.
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Recent news mentions
Craig Renney, who is Council of Trade Unions chief economist and policy director and also a Labour candidate in the upcoming election, said it was likely to mean that more low-income people opted out of KiwiSaver.
Higher KiwiSaver contributions may mean lower pay rises
New Zealand· 2026-02-19
Craig Renney shared an unflattering chart on social media showing the downward revisions of Treasury's forecasts.
Thomas Coughlan: Chris Hipkins and Nicola Willis go to war over who broke the economyNew Zealand· 2026-01-30
Craig Renney is an economist seeking selection as a Labour candidate.
Target on Chris Bishop’s back as National’s poll slide continues; Labour set for big selection weekend – Audrey YoungNew Zealand· 2025-11-20
Craig Renney proposed that the Government should use its dividends to progressively bring the gentailers back into full public ownership.
Power prices: Government reveals actions on energy sector after review of electricity marketNew Zealand· 2025-09-30
Craig Renney is the policy director of the Council of Trade Unions and an economist who previously served as a senior economic adviser to then-Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
Do people earning $200,000 need help with childcare?New Zealand· 2025-07-17
Renney – a director at the Council for Trade Unions with political aspirations – maintains the error was a mistake, not a fabrication.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis wanted tighter Budget lock-up, documents revealNew Zealand· 2025-07-13
Craig Renney is an economist for the Council of Trade Unions who criticized the latest WorkSafe changes.
What ‘conflicting’ polls tell us; Brooke van Velden strikes again; sex scandal at the heart of the Beehive – Audrey YoungNew Zealand· 2025-06-05
Eric Crampton, the chief economist of the New Zealand Initiative think-tank, refused to accept Treasury’s invitation unless it lifted its ban on Council of Trade Unions economist Craig Renney.
Budget 2025: Nicola Willis’ focus on the Opposition shows she’s feeling the pressure – Audrey YoungNew Zealand· 2025-05-21
Craig Renney is an economist with the Council of Trade Unions and was mentioned in relation to an invitation to the Budget lock-up.
The varied faces of NZ think-tanks: Who fronts them and what they doNew Zealand· 2025-05-19
The New Zealand Initiative’s Eric Crampton told Treasury he would only accept the invitation on the condition the Council of Trade Unions’ Craig Renney was accredited too.
Treasury buckles to pressure and gives the Council of Trade Unions and other groups accredition to attend the Budget lock-upNew Zealand· 2025-05-15Labour luminary Craig Renney was present during David Parker's final speech.
‘Robbing Paula to pay Paul’: Pay equity ambush will come back to bite National – Audrey YoungNew Zealand· 2025-05-08
Craig Renney was elected to the policy council in 2023.
Inside the battle for Labour’s wealth tax and how it was lost – this timeNew Zealand· 2025-05-02
CTU economist Craig Renney, who worked for Labour during the Little years before joining Grant Robertson’s ministerial team.
How Labour walked away from Tory Whanau and backed Andrew LittleNew Zealand· 2025-04-18
Craig Renney notes that PPPs often lead to 'risk ignorance' in projects.
Road tolls, PPPs and the Investment Summit: Time for some honesty - Simon WilsonNew Zealand· 2025-03-18
Craig Renney, policy director at the Council of Trade Unions, discusses the affordability challenges for teachers and nurses.
Even ‘middle class’ struggling to pay rentNew Zealand· 2025-03-18
Council of Trade Unions chief economist Craig Renney published a paper in 2022 arguing that the part-privatisation of the gentailers was to blame for high prices.
Labour may ask gentailers to reinvest dividends in new generation to reduce pricesNew Zealand· 2025-02-18
