Bryce is a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, and also the Director of the Wellington-based economic consultancy firm Capital Economics. Prior to setting this up in 1997 he was a Director of, and shareholder in, First NZ Capital. Before moving into investment banking in 1985, he worked in the New Zealand Treasury, reaching the position of Director. Bryce holds a PhD in economics from the University of Canterbury and was a Harkness Fellow at Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the Law and Economics Association of New Zealand.
Bryce is available for comment on fiscal issues, our poverty, inequality and welfare research. He also has a strong background in public policy analysis including monetary policy, capital markets research and microeconomic advisory work.
Latest reports:
Walking the path to the next global financial crisis (2021)
Illusions of History: How misunderstanding the past jeopardises our future (2021)
Policy Point: A risky place to do business (2021)
Policy Point: Is climate change a key risk to global financial stability? (2020)
Roadmap for Recovery: Briefing to the Incoming Government (2020)
Pharmac: The right prescription? (2020)
Research Note: Doing whatever it takes with someone else’s money (2020)
Policy Point: FDI: Unjustified Urgency (2020)
Research Note: Deficit spending in a crisis: why there is no such thing as a free lunch (2020)
Research Note: Quantifying the wellbeing costs of Covid-19 (2020)
Research Note: How bad might the lockdown be for jobs and income? (2020)
Work in Progress: Why Fair Pay Agreements would be bad for labour (2019)
Scroll down to read the rest of Bryce's work.
Phone: +64 4 499 0790
The Coalition Agreement between National and ACT includes a commitment to pass the “Regulatory Standards Act as soon as practicable”. How fast is that? Read more
The incoming Government needs to make improving education a major priority. Achieving that will take decisive action, and many years of effort. Read more
In this research note, we analyse the six-year spending spree of the Sixth Labour government in the context of historical precedents. Elected on the back of an ambitious policy agenda, the Ardern government quickly found itself struggling to balance the books. Read more
How big is the fiscal deficit problem and how long will it take for our governments to turn it around? Do not be fooled by rosy scenarios of painless correction. Read more
History does rhyme, and apocalyptic plays can make a sobering point or two. This government is borrowing heavily to fund current spending. Read more
In this short research note, we have focused on the fiscal performance of the Sixth Labour-led Government. We have pointed out that much of our current predicament comes down to unrealistic plans, lack of commitment to stated intentions, and not enough rigour in fiscal management. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talks to Dr Bryce Wilkinson about The New Zealand Initiative’s latest research note they have written which analyses Labour’s six-year fiscal record. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 26 September 2023) - As we approach the 2023 election, New Zealanders must learn from the overly optimistic projections presented by Labour before the 2017 election. New Zealand cannot afford a repeat of this fiscal recklessness. Read more
That is the sign all Ministers of Finance should have on their desk. Treasury’s latest pre-election economic and fiscal update this week forecast cumulative fiscal deficits of $17 billion for the four years ended June 2027. Read more
Tuesday’s Treasury’s pre-election forecasts confirmed that Government spending exceeds revenue by more than what was forecast in the May 2023 Budget. Far too many commentators are concluding the increase is not too bad. Read more
This week, the National Party revealed its tax plans for the election. These are aimed at people with average incomes. Read more
As the nation prepares to vote on 14 October, the sentiment across New Zealand is one of frustration and concern. Skyrocketing living costs, unaffordable housing, strained healthcare, and a growing educational gap are the voices of a country looking for change. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 15 August 2023) - Many New Zealanders know that the kiwi economy here has faced struggles over the decades and not performed as well as many other countries. But today's news may still surprise them: Ireland has not just moved ahead of us. Read more
New Zealanders should not be too proud to learn from others. In 2017, The New Zealand Initiative led 36 senior business leaders to visit Switzerland for this purpose. Read more
New Zealand’s current legislative approach to overseas investment is a mess. It is a mess because it does not focus on what is important – facilitating strong connections to the rest of the world while protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty. Read more