Media release: Grexit the only viable option for Greece

Wellington (29 June 2015): After five years of unsuccessful attempts to “save” Greece and keep it in the Eurozone, the dramatic events of the past days show that this strategy has failed disastrously. The country’s best hope is for a fresh start outside the Eurozone says Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. Read more

29 June, 2015

Media release: Inequality falling despite rising headlines

Wellington (26 June 2015): The country needs to change its tune on inequality, according to The New Zealand Initiative, with a recently published report by Treasury showing that the gap between rich and poor has been stable or falling over the past 20 years. The Treasury working paper by Christopher Ball and John Creedy analysed annual income and expenditure since 1984. Read more

26 June, 2015

Media release: Productivity Commission report builds case for planning reform

Wellington (17 June 2015): The Productivity Commission’s latest report on how overly tight land supply feeds the housing affordability crisis is a pressing reminder of why the planning system and local government funding arrangements need reform, according to The New Zealand Initiative. The draft report, Using Land for Housing, notes that while New Zealand has one of the fastest population growth rates in the OECD, the supply of land for housing has not kept pace. Read more

17 June, 2015

Media release: OECD housing alarm must be heeded

Wellington (10 June 2015): The OECD’s recent report on New Zealand has highlighted the urgent need to untangle the Resource Management Act (RMA), which has snared the housing marketing in a spiral of ever-rising prices, according to The New Zealand Initiative. The public policy think tank said the findings of the bi-annual report resonated with much of its own research, particularly where zoning regulations have constrained the supply of new houses and pushed up prices. Read more

10 June, 2015

Rose Patterson on Radio NZ: Maths teaching in NZ: has the numeracy project failed?

A new report being launched by the Education Minister today has criticised the way maths is taught to primary students, saying there is a lack of emphasis on the basics which is holding children back. The report, written by researcher Rose Patterson, for the business thinktank The New Zealand Initiative, says since the Numeracy Project was launched 15 years ago, maths performance has declined. Read more

Rose Patterson
Radio New Zealand
5 June, 2015

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