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 the 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
As this edition of Quadrant reaches readers, I shall be making final preparations for The New Zealand Initiative’s fourth international business delegation. In late June, we will take more than three dozen senior New Zealand business leaders to the Netherlands. Read more
On Tuesday morning, I attended a breakfast in New Zealand’s Parliament. The latest report from NZIER, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, to Xero, the online accounting software company, “Going Digital in 2025,” was unveiled. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Nick Clark about how artificial intelligence could help local government councillors make better decisions. They discuss how AI tools can help councillors understand complex reports, identify key issues, and formulate intelligent questions, ultimately empowering elected representatives who are often overwhelmed by technical information outside their expertise. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about the Green Party's alternative budget, critiquing its $88 billion tax increase plan and unrealistic spending proposals. Dr Hartwich specifically highlighted the impracticality of the Greens' free dentistry policy given New Zealand's limited number of dentists and described the alternative budget as a "fantasy" rather than a realistic economic proposal. Read more
New Zealanders should be grateful to any party that clearly outlines its goals, so we welcome the Greens’ presentation of their Green Budget. That said, what they have presented is more than just a Budget. Read more
Prime Minister Luxon has declared 2025 ‘the year of growth’, making economic expansion his government’s top priority. This ambition is laudable, and the government has initiated many important reforms that will help. Read more
Last Tuesday, Friedrich Merz looked fatally wounded before his time in office had even properly begun. The new German chancellor was to be formally confirmed in the Bundestag. 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
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
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
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
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
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
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