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
A worker producing $30 worth of widgets per hour but receiving a salary of $40 per hour would soon lose his job. No employer would be willing to subsidise their employees like that. Read more
Following the Government's annoucement, Roger Partridge and Oliver Hartwich discuss how Fair Pay Agreements are likely to harm productivity and would not be in the interests of workers, the unemployed, consumers, and overall wellbeing. Read our 2019 report, Work in Progress: Why Fair pay Agreements would be bad for labour. Read more
The Prime Minister is delivering on her main promise. Before the 2017 election, Jacinda Ardern promised to lead a "transformational" government. Read more
In a recent column for Newsroom (4 May 2021), Oliver Hartwich wrote about Europe, and whether its recovery will be worse than the recession. He wrote that the Covid-19 pandemic has not caused an ordinary recession - at least not in Europe. Read more
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
For this week's podcast, we chat to the Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich a few days on from his New Zealand citizenship ceremony to find out about what led him to think tank-land in New Zealand.
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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
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
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
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