The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) building in Wellington, New Zealand, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.
New Zealand's central bank could have its policy goals narrowed significantly and be subject to an external review if the center-right National Party opposition wins election this year, as political scrutiny of the bank intensifies.
As the country heads to an election in October, opinion polls show the opposition leading the center-left Labor government, which has held office since 2017.
National's platform includes returning the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's, or RBNZ, goal to a single target of keeping inflation between 1% and 3% and jettisoning recent additions of an employment mandate.
"New Zealanders need confidence that the Reserve Bank will not deprioritize inflation in the pursuit of other goals," National finance spokesperson Nicola Willis said in an emailed response to questions from Reuters.
Persons:
Nicola Willis
Organizations:
Bank of New Zealand, National Party, Labor, Reserve Bank of New, Reserve Bank, National, Reuters
Locations:
Wellington , New Zealand, New