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
An apparent pause grips the political scene in the quiet days after New Zealand’s election. The old government remains in caretaker mode. Read more
Join Dr Oliver Hartwich and Dr Matthew Birchall as they continue their conversation from last week. Listen to their reaction to the election results so far, and what they think might happen next. Read more
Hamas’ attacks on Israel have repercussions that extend beyond the Middle East. These events have also magnified the social and political consequences of large-scale migration from Muslim nations to Europe. Read more
On his podcast NZ Everyday Investor, Darcy Ungaro talks to Dr Oliver Hartwich about our report Prescription for Prosperity and our recommendations for the incoming government. To listen to their discussion The Wealth Script We NEED, Ep 378 Oliver Hartwich on Spotify, click here. Read more
With the New Zealand election just a day away, the closeness of the race is astonishing. It is especially so when one considers the social and economic turmoil the country faces. Read more
It's the final week before the election. So, to cap it off, Dr Oliver Hartwich talks to Dr Matthew Birchall about the 2023 NZ general election. Read more
With only a few days left until New Zealand’s general election, you might think the outcome should be easy to predict. Many polls have shown that New Zealanders think the country is on the wrong path. Read more
Winston Churchill is often wrongly credited with saying that the best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. If a modern-day Churchill sought an argument against democracy, he could easily find one in New Zealand’s election campaigns. Read more
On his breakfast show on Newstalk ZB, Mike Hosking discusses Dr Oliver Hartwich's latest Newsroom column comparing Germany's MMP system to New Zealand's. Listen to the audio below. Read more
As we prepare for another election under the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, it is worth noting that New Zealand is one of the few nations to have adopted this electoral model. The majority of countries still either opt for First-Past-the-Post or purely proportional systems. Another country that uses MMP is my native Germany. Read more
Imagine a typical New Zealand family. Every couple of weeks, the salary arrives in their bank account. Read more
Political campaigns often hinge on promises, and the art of selling a vision for the future is a crucial skill for any politician. But what happens when that vision strays deep into the realm of fantasy? Read more
We all know what ‘déjà vu’ is: that eerie sensation that we’ve been here before – that we are reliving a moment — often unpleasant — from the past. Many New Zealanders experienced a sense of déjà vu listening to the government’s recent statements about the economy and fiscal forecasts. Read more
On his breakfast show on Newstalk ZB, Mike Hosking talks to Dr Oliver Hartwich about the Initative's latest research note The Deficit Diaries: Six years of red. They discuss the Labour government's six-year fiscal record and the risk of fiscally optimistic projections. Read more
Our Executive Director, Dr Oliver Hartwich, joined TVNZ Breakfast to discuss National's plan for those on jobseeker benefits. You can also read more about this discussion on the One News website here. Read more