Wellington (28 March 2019): Ahead of the Interim Climate Change Committee’s recommendations to Government, think tank The New Zealand Initiative today released an economic assessment of the proposed transition to 100% renewable electricity by 2035. Authored by Research Fellow Matt Burgess, Switched on! Read more
After a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, UK Prime Minister Theresa May said new documents to be added to the Brexit deal provided "legally binding changes" to the part relating to the Irish border. Before UK MPs voted on the deal, Oliver Hartwich discussed with Larry Williams on Newstalk ZB if these changes are a real breakthrough. Read more
Oliver Hartwich introduces his new report #localismNZ: Bringing power to the people on Mike Hosking Breakfast. He also discusses the results of a new UMR poll that reveals the majority of those surveyed support shifting power from central government to local communities. Read more
Reselling concert tickets is now a challenging problem due to scammers. Some people are struggling to sell tickets to Wellington's Eminem concert at the Westpac Stadium. Read more
Wellington (27 February 2019): A joint LGNZ/New Zealand Initiative conference held in Wellington tomorrow will explore the results of a new survey that reveals the majority of those surveyed support a move towards local services being managed and provided by local decision-makers. With New Zealanders’ attitudes towards devolved government shifting, many believe now is the time to explore localism. Read more
Patrick Carvalho joins Peter Williams on Magic Talk with his take on the Tax Working Group report and the impact of a proposed capital gains tax. He explains why the broad-based top rate of 33% CGT would push New Zealand to the top of the international CGT rankings among industrialised economies, just behind Denmark and Finland. Read more
Wellington (21 February 2019): The Tax Working Group’s report released today proposes a broad-based top rate of 33% capital gains tax (CGT). The New Zealand Initiative argues in a new policy note, The Pitfalls of CGT, that headline rate would immediately push New Zealand to the top of the international CGT rankings among industrialised economies, just behind Denmark and Finland. Read more
The Tax Working Group’s report proposes a broad-based top rate of 33% capital gains tax (CGT). Patrick Carvalho explains to Larry Williams on Newstalk ZB why fully taxing capital gains would likely have undesirable effects on productivity, investment and growth, and impose significant compliance costs. Read more
New Zealand's tax brackets don't accurately reflect what counts as "high earning" in this country, critics say. Since 2008, the highest personal income tax rate has kicked in on earnings over $70,000 a year. Read more
A panel - chaired by the former National Prime Minister Jim Bolger - has made recommendations to the government on how best to set up Fair Pay Agreements that would set minimum terms and conditions for all workers in the same sector or occupation in a bid to stop a slide in pay. The report has yet to be made public, but the National Party has been told some of the recommendations - chiefly that a fair pay negotiation could be triggered with the support of just ten per cent of a workforce nationwide. Read more
Bryce Wilkinson discusses on TVNZ Breakfast his new report on KiwiBuild – the government programme to deliver 100,000 down-sized homes in 10 years. He explains why this policy is a waste of time and money and why it is not going to achieve worthwhile objectives. Read more
Wellington (22 January 2019): Decisive government action to free up the supply of land for housing and to reduce construction costs across the board is the only viable remedy for New Zealand’s housing affordability problem. KiwiBuild – the government programme to build or deliver 100,000 homes in 10 years – is a massive distraction from fixing the housing problem, according to a new research report, KiwiBuild: Twyford’s Tar Baby, released today by The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
Bryce Wilkinson discusses with Karyn Hay on Radio New Zealand the findings in his new report on KiwiBuild. He explains why the policy fails against all the objectives set for it. Read more
With Jacinda Ardern meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May to discuss trade agreements, Dr Oliver Hartwich speaks to Newstalk ZB and says this is an important chance to discuss our post-Brexit trading relationship and a good opportunity to remind the Brits that there are other countries who would like to trade with Britain.
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New Zealand workers on the minimum wage are set for a significant pay rise. The Government has announced it will increase the minimum wage to $17.70 an hour on April 1, with further increases to take it to $20 by 2021. Read more