Oliver is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. Before joining the Initiative, he was a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, the Chief Economist at Policy Exchange in London, and an advisor in the UK House of Lords. Oliver holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Business administration and a PhD in Law from Bochum University in Germany.
Oliver is available to comment on all of the Initiative’s research areas.
Latest reports:
Policy Essay: Effective and affordable – Why the ETS is sufficient to deal with the climate emergency (2020)
Research Note: The Unreserved Bank of New Zealand: Why unorthodox monetary policy needs boundaries (2019)
#localismNZ: Bringing power to the people (2019)
Submission: Future of Tax (2018)
Submission: Overseas Investment Amendment Bill (2018)
Go Swiss: Learnings from The New Zealand Initiative's visit to Switzerland (2017)
Manifesto 2017: What the next New Zealand Government should do (2017)
Why Europe Failed (2015)
Phone: +64 4 499 0790
Europe’s economy is at risk of becoming a place for the walking dead. That is how you can read a new report by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB). Read more
Shortly after he lost his Australian premiership, I attended a small, private dinner with John Howard in London. We talked about his nearly 12 years in office and the lessons he had learnt. Read more
A few days after attending his New Zealand citizenship ceremony, Oliver Hartwich sits down for a chat about his journey to becoming a Kiwi and what he's learnt so far after nine years here.
The New Zealand Initiative · Podcast: Oliver Hartwich on his journey to becoming a Kiwi Read more
Is it okay not to have an instant opinion on the Government’s proposed health shake-up? There is no doubt the package, announced by Health Minister Andrew Little on Wednesday, is bold. Read more
A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre.” That was the beginning of The Communist Manifesto (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Read more
Following the National Party's housing policy announcement, The New Zealand Initiative's executive director Dr Oliver Hartwich and the Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams discuss their views on fiscal incentives for councils as a way to encourage more houses to be built.
The New Zealand Initiative · Podcast: Oliver Hartwich and Jordan Williams discuss fiscal incentives for councils Read more
Between a policy idea and its political take-up, many years can pass. But that makes it even more satisfying when it eventually happens. Read more
My first job after my law doctorate was as an assistant to a Liberal Democrats peer in the UK House of Lords. It was a helpful lesson on the difference between the theory and practice of law-making. Read more
If you want to get an idea of the European Union’s ability to make good decisions and implement them swiftly, you could look at its Covid vaccination rollout. But if that is too depressing, you could also consider the farce around Europe’s Daylight Savings Time. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich and Dr David Law discuss the details of the government's new housing package and what it will mean for the housing market, house prices and first home buyers. They also discuss the consequences for the rental market and the pitfalls of rent controls. Read more
It is hard to know where to begin, there is so much wrong with the Government’s housing package presented on Tuesday. I leave it to my colleague David Law to explain why the measures introduced will hurt housing affordability and supply. Read more
Oliver Hartwich, Eric Crampton, Bryce Wilkinson and David Law discuss the Government's new housing package.
The New Zealand Initiative · The Government's Housing Package Read more
Matt Burgess and Oliver Hartwich sit down to discuss Oliver's recent Newsroom column on what we can learn from the European ETS experience, and how it relates to some of the finer points in the Climate Change Commission's draft emissions report.
The New Zealand Initiative · Matt Burgess and Oliver Hartwich discuss emissions policy Read more
As New Zealand discusses the recommendations of the Climate Change Commission, I get a sense of déjà vu. We are now talking about industry-specific regulations, bans on certain technologies (such as petrol and diesel cars) and subsidies for others (such as electric vehicles). Read more
Filings to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rarely have entertainment value. That is unless Elon Musk is involved. Read more