On his show on Newstalk ZB, John Macdonald talks about Nick Clark's latest opinion piece in the NZ Herald analysing the potential impacts of giving mayors more power in New Zealand's local government, considering both possible benefits and drawbacks of such a change. Listen below. Read more
A lecture from US broadcaster and historian Alexander Heffner, the host of The Open Mind on PBS, held at the Parliament on 20 September 2024. Watch below. Read more
Dr Tony Burton discusses his new report Demystifying the State with Andrea Black. Dr Oliver Hartwich moderates this discussion. Read more
On August 15, we hosted our second The Health Innovators’ Summit. This was a day event that brought together politicians, members of The New Zealand Initiative, professional health associations, and senior journalists to learn about innovative solutions for better healthcare in New Zealand. Read more
EMBARGOED UNTIL 2.30 PM, TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER Wellington (Monday, 9 September 2024) - A new report from The New Zealand Initiative challenges common perceptions of New Zealand's state sector and calls for fundamental reforms to improve its performance. The report "Demystifying the State", authored by Dr Tony Burton, provides an in-depth analysis of how the state sector functions, moving beyond idealistic portrayals to examine its real-world limitations and potential for improvement. Read more
Our recent Health Innovators' Summit in August brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore solutions for improving New Zealand's healthcare system. Watch the following highlight reel where attendees share their key takeaways from the event, highlighting discussions on localism, the importance of primary care, and the need for innovative approaches to address the challenges facing New Zealand's healthcare sector. Read more
Dr James Kierstead talked to Cam Slater about free speech on Reality Check Radio. Listen here. Read more
Our Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton talk to Jack Tame on Q + A about the ETS and the complexities of carbon pricing, emissions reduction strategies, and the balancing act between environmental and economic considerations in New Zealand's climate policy.
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Wellington (Thursday, 22 August 2024) - A new survey reveals that local councils across New Zealand want more power to make decisions for their communities, rather than having rules set by the central government in Wellington. The New Zealand Initiative, an independent think tank, surveyed New Zealand's mayors, councillors, and council chief executives. Read more
Dr James Kierstead discusses his new report Unpopular Opinions: Academic Freedom in New Zealand with Prof Grant Schofield. Dr Oliver Hartwich moderates this discussion. Read more
Dr James Kierstead appears on The Platform to talk to Sean Plunket about his latest report on Academic Freedom. Read Dr James Kierstead's report, Unpopular Opinions: Academic Freedom in New Zealand, here. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 22 August 2024) - The New Zealand Initiative welcomes the government's newly released Regional Deals Strategic Framework, seeing it as a positive step towards empowering local communities and fostering economic growth. Nick Clark, Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, says the framework aligns with many of the recommendations the think tank has been advocating for years. Read more
Wellington (Wednesday, 21 August 2024) - The New Zealand Initiative has released a new research report examining the state of academic freedom at our universities. The report, entitled Unpopular Opinions: Academic Freedom in New Zealand, provides a detailed and thoroughly documented examination of the state of academic freedom at our universities, together with an analysis of the main threats to academic freedom in this country at present. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich appeared on The Platform to talk to Sean Plunket about the recent cut to New Zealand's Official Cash Rate (OCR) by the Reserve Bank. Oliver explains that while the decision was economically justified given the country's economic struggles, he criticises the Reserve Bank's communication, arguing they should have been more transparent about changing their previous stance. Read more
At our Health Innovators' Summit, Prof Lester Levy opened the event with a keynote address. Watch his presentation below. Read more