The year is AD2022. The West is united against its many foes. Read more
In Douglas Adams’s classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series, Wonko the Sane realised that the world had gone mad. He had seen the instructions on the side of a packet of toothpicks. Read more
We all know the old joke that an economist would look for his keys under a lamp post not because that’s where he’d dropped them, but because that’s where the light is. But sometimes new lamp posts add the necessary extra bit of illumination. Read more
Historians can be a tedious bunch. As someone who frequently hijacks dinner parties with history lectures, I would know. Read more
Welcome to a new term at the University of Niceness. You may notice a few new things about the place, starting with our name. Read more
Our young adults are having a rough time of it at the moment. They have, perhaps more than any other age demographic, been impacted by COVID lockdowns. Read more
New Zealand's labour market continues to squeeze tighter, based on the latest Stats New Zealand quarterly figures. Wages rose at an annual rate of 3.4 percent, the highest seen in 14 years while unemployment remains very low - though it has risen marginally, to 3.3 percent. Read more
Elizabeth Rata is a professor in the School of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland. We talked to her about the nature of science; her theory of 'neo-tribal capitalism'; and why 'partial loyalty' might be crucial to liberal democracy. Read more
Today could see another historic milestone for the New Zealand economy. Unemployment is expected to fall from its current level of 3.2 percent, which is already the lowest since records began. Read more
A little more than half a year after New Zealand Labour came to power in 2017, Education Minister Chris Hipkins held two education summits. There were 1,400 people at the Auckland and Christchurch events, which cost NZ$3.1 million to run. Read more
Scott Wilson joins Eric Crampton and Matthew Birchall to discuss the petrol excise holiday, sustainability of the land transport funding system, and what better options might be for the funding and financing of New Zealand roads in the future. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
In 2010, the National-led government launched a rather substantial experiment. Auckland City’s smaller councils were forced to amalgamate into a supercity structure. Read more
There are many pressing problems facing New Zealand, but none more urgent than the decay of our once great education system. Every time a young person leaves school without basic literacy and numeracy, it is a travesty. Read more
New Zealand has opened its borders to international visitors - but what does it mean for the country's economy? Dubai Eye ask Dr. Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
The Initiative’s reports often attract media attention. Nothing, however, could have prepared us for the storm following the release of How central bank mistakes after 2019 led to inflation. Read more