The ACT Party has said that its time to face reality on the superannuation age as it would save the tax payer over $16 billion over the next 12 years. Eric Crampton joins Wallace Chapman on Radio NZ The Panel to discuss this issue and how it could work in New Zealand. Read more
John Ryan (former Auditor-General) has raised concerns about the transparency of the Government's Covid response fund. He says MPs and the general public haven't been getting enough information about how the $74 billion fund is being spent. Read more
Michael Johnston told Newstalk ZB Heather du Plessis Allan that we've seen in the PISA results over the last 20 years a continuing decline in the proportion of New Zealanders that at 15 can do basic literacy tasks
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As the 2022 French election reaches fever point, Wallace Chapman talks to Oliver Hartwich about why this particular election is so significant.
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Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking summarises the findings of our latest cost-of-living research, The rising cost of living for Kiwis.
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Wellington (Thursday, 24 March 2022) – Kiwis households are paying more than $3,000 extra on essentials than they were 12 months ago, and policies implemented by the Government and Reserve Bank are contributing to the problem, according to new research from The New Zealand Initiative. The rising cost of living for Kiwis, shows New Zealand has the second-highest inflation rate among our major trading partners, besides the USA, and this is plausibly the result of excessive government stimulus. Read more
Eric Crampton joins Bryan Crump on Radio new Zealand Nights to discuss the war in Ukraine, and the policy prescriptions libertarians have proposed to stop the conflict.
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Matt Burgess talks with Today FM's Rachel Smalley about why existing efforts are enough to meet net-zero emissions.
Matt's report Pretence of Necessity: Why further climate change action isn't needed and won't help can be read here Read more
Matt Burgess discusses his latest report with Mike Hosking, NewstalkZB about why further climate change action from the government is not needed and won't help. Matt report Pretence of Necessity can be read here. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 22 March 2022) – New Zealand is already on track to its emissions targets and the government’s new climate change policies will have almost no effect on emissions, says a new report by public policy think tank The New Zealand Initiative. The report, Pretence of Necessity by Senior Economist Matt Burgess, shows that existing policies are enough and further policies are optional but not necessary to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Read more
Eric Crampton talks to Kate Hawkesby on NewstalkZB Early Edition about whether the Government's fuel discount will help those dealing with increases to the cost of living. Read more
The Government has reduced fuel excise duty and public transport costs to help curb rising living costs. Eric Crampton talks to Wallace Chapman on Radio NZ - The Panel about how effective this will be. Read more
Top economists agree on climate response Wellington (Tuesday, 8 March 2022) The second New Zealand Economics Experts Survey finds consensus among the country’s top economists on climate policy. The New Zealand Association of Economists, in conjunction with The New Zealand Initiative, invited Distinguished Fellows, life members, and former Presidents of the New Zealand Association of Economists, and recipients of the NZIER ‘Economist of the Year’ award, to serve as an expert panel. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 8 March 2022) The New Zealand Initiative is applauding the Commerce Commission for their final report into supermarket competition, and says the regulator is right to take issue with the red tape that hinders competitors entering the market. The Commission recommended easing zoning restrictions so that it is legal to build supermarkets in more places, removing restrictive covenants that hinder supermarket development in prime sites, and ensuring that the Overseas Investment Act and the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act do not unduly impede entry and expansion. Read more
The National Party has promised to cut taxes and raise income tax brackets. Who will win and who will lose when taxes are cut? Read more