If everything had gone according to plan, this column would have been about the visit of the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, to New Zealand. That would have been appropriate as German ministers do not make it to this part of the world too often. Read more

Ingredients: 1 cup contradiction (finely chopped) 500 grams of voter polling (preferably gullible) 2 tablespoons of economic nonsense (no substitutes) A generous pinch of legal complexity A dash of ambiguity (to taste) A sprinkling of international tax quirks A heaped spoonful of political expediency Preparation: 1. Start with the contradictions: Begin by asserting that the policy will help low-income families. Read more

In New Zealand’s public policy circles these days, you cannot escape the buzz about Ireland. Whether in the corridors of power, at business gatherings, or even casual coffee catch-ups, Ireland is the talk of the town. Read more

In this election year, the crisis in New Zealand’s health system stands as one of the nation’s primary concerns. So, on Wednesday, we held our first Health Innovators’ Summit’ in Auckland, kindly sponsored by nib. Read more

In the world of politics, timing is everything. And sometimes, the timing of events can create a curious contrast that cries out for a closer look. Read more

From the vantage point of my earlier career at think tanks in London and Sydney, I have had front-row seats to the theatre of value-added tax (VAT) and goods and services tax (GST) policy lunacy. I have seen this seemingly innocent taxation mechanism morph into a clumsy beast, causing bureaucratic nightmares and economic distortions. Read more

In Tuesday’s parliamentary questions, Minister of Finance Grant Robertson engaged in some impressive word play. He had previously dismissed exempting fresh food and vegetables from GST. Read more