One of New Zealand’s top economists is the keynote speaker at Queenstown’s Catalyst Trust’s next kōrero, being held next Thursday.

Simplicity chief economist Shamubeel Eaqub’s authored four books on NZ’s economy to date, including Generation Rent, having spent more than 25 years as an economist at ANZ, Goldman Sachs, JBWere, NZIER, Sense Partners and his own consultancy.

One of the country’s most familiar voices on the economy, Eaqub will unpack past decisions which have led to NZ’s economic and social cul-de-sac — which includes an unfunded retirement system and ageing population, a lack of housing and capital — to discuss if it’s possible for Aotearoa to ‘save our way to prosperity’.

Despite the many headwinds from inflation, unemployment and grim geopolitics, Eaqub believes we can, and will examine a way forward that’s fair, practical and sustainable for millennials and Gen Zers who face a huge future burden of superannuation costs from far fewer active earners, boomers who’d banked on superannuation at the age of 65, whose bodies and bank accounts are already broken, and everyone in between.

‘Save our way to prosperity?’ is being held from 6.30pm-8pm at Queenstown’s Hilton Hotel next Thursday — the event’s free to attend, but registration is required via Humanitix.

Online donations or cash koha will go to the Wakatipu Toy Library and Wakatipu Senior Citizens Association.