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.
Phone: +64 4 499 0790
When Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected Pope Leo XIV, the global fishing expedition began. Journalists avidly trawled through his life, turning over every stone: his CV, rare interviews and, inevitably, the modern oracle: his X (formerly Twitter) account. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB about the government's increased capital spending, describing it as "a relatively minor announcement" and "a drop in the government's ocean."
Dr Hartwich also discussed the potential for asset recycling, suggesting the government could sell state-owned companies in the energy sector and its Air New Zealand stake, and noted that the retention of the R&D tax credit provides certainty for businesses already using the scheme. Listen below Read more
Watching Australia’s 2025 federal election from Wellington gave me an uncanny sense of déjà vu. As Labor swept to power with a commanding parliamentary majority and the Liberal-National Coalition suffered its worst defeat in generations, I could not help but think: “I have seen this movie before.” New Zealand’s Labour Party swept to power in 2020 with the first single-party majority under our proportional representation system. Read more
Mike Hosking highlighted Dr Oliver Hartwich's article in The Australian on Newstalk ZB, mentioning that the New Zealand Initiative's executive director compared Australia's current political situation to New Zealand's experience. Hosking described the piece as "well worth reading" where Dr Hartwich examined how Labour was "unceremoniously ejected" from power in New Zealand, concluding with reflections on democratic accountability as "both the frustration and the glory of democracy." Listen below. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Michael Laws on The Platform about New Zealand's unpreparedness for its rapidly ageing population. Dr Hartwich explained that regulatory barriers are preventing retirement villages from expanding quickly enough to meet demand, which could result in elderly patients overwhelming the hospital system. Read more
On his show Canterbury Mornings on Newstalk ZB, John MacDonald discussed David Seymour's criticism of New Zealand's government bureaucracy and Dr Oliver Hartwich's insights on streamlining the current system of 28 ministers to as few as 15-20. MacDonald agreed with both Seymour's description of the system as "a big, complicated bureaucratic beast" and Dr Hartwich's assessment that many portfolios are unnecessarily split, creating inefficient silos among the country's 82 portfolios and 41 government departments. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB about New Zealand's excessive government structure, drawing on The New Zealand Initiative's report that criticises the country's 82 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers, and 41 departments as inefficient compared to countries like Norway and Ireland. He recommended reducing the number of ministers to 15-20 rather than the current 30, supporting David Seymour's proposal to slash cabinet and government departments. Read more
Last week, I interviewed Scott Scoullar, Chief Executive of Summerset, one of New Zealand’s largest retirement village operators, for our podcast. His assessment of our aged care challenges was sobering and demands urgent policy attention. Read more
In this episode, Oliver interviews Scott Scoullar, Chief Executive of Summerset, about New Zealand's looming aged care crisis with a projected shortfall of 7,000-8,000 beds by 2030 despite increasing elderly demographics. They discuss how retirement villages provide cost-effective care solutions, the regulatory hurdles of building new facilities, and the urgent need for better dialogue between the aged care sector and government policymakers. Read more
The United States is in turmoil, and so is its currency. Since Donald Trump slapped tariffs on all imports, global markets have retreated. Read more
One hundred days into Donald Trump’s second presidency, his economic nationalism has produced an unexpected consequence. The man who campaigned on ‘America First’ and delivered sweeping tariffs within weeks of retaking office has become an unlikely champion of free trade – by forcing his opponents to defend it. Read more
This year marks my twentieth anniversary working in think tanks. Two decades ago, I produced my first major publication for London’s Policy Exchange with the late Professor Alan W. Read more
Every Saturday morning, our preteen son chats to his grandparents in Germany – on Skype. They swap jokes, blow kisses and add balloons or mistletoe to the screen. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Nick about his submission regarding New Zealand's proposed parliamentary term extension from three to four years. Nick supports the concept of longer terms but criticises the current proposal's complicated conditional approach, arguing instead for a straightforward extension that should also apply to local government. Read more
Last week, New Zealand’s Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced what she presented as a significant 25 percent cut to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s operating budget. The headlines were dramatic: the RBNZ would need to tighten its belt and focus on core functions. Read more