Government spending decisions can be popular or unpopular; they can be justified and unjustified. We all like to criticise the government for unjustified spending to increase its popularity. Read more
The best thing about budgets in New Zealand is that they are just a little bit boring. Our fiscal conventions ensure big changes are telegraphed well in advance. Read more
There is a lot to be said for America’s federal structure. Fifty different states each trying different things not only lets policy better suit local preferences, but also helps researchers figure out the effects of different policies. Read more
Otto Wels. That is the name that came to my mind when I read through the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill. Read more
Kludges are short-term fixes that can patch things over until the main problem can be addressed. If the latch for the rear hatch on your people-mover breaks, a kludge that ties it shut until you can get it to the garage for repairs is just the thing. Read more
Government was vastly smaller in 1908 than now. The tax-and spend state was vastly smaller, but so was the regulatory state. Read more
“Local competition” is among factors cited by dairy owners for wildly varying prices for every-day grocery items like baked beans. The issue came to light in a leaked email from a dairy-owner in the lower North Island to her partner. Read more
Last week, the National Business Review reported that the New Zealand Government is considering introducing so-called land value uplift charges to finance new infrastructure projects. Papers obtained by the NBR under the Official Information Act show that the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport are weighing the pros and cons of making property owners bear the costs of projects that increase the value of their land. Read more
When my colleague Oliver Hartwich first tried explaining the German school system to me, he might as well have been speaking German. It seemed entirely foreign. Read more
We New Zealanders are a funny bunch. People make fun of Canadians for being too apologetic. Read more
The Coalition government’s first budget is just over two weeks away. Its core is always fiscal policy – how much it is planning to spend and how it is planning to fund that spending. Read more
Many of you must remember that ‘oh, shoot, now what?’ feeling you had with your graduation cap in one hand, and a hefty bill in the other. I do. Read more
Tracey Martin wants to regulate the meaning of a commonly used word. It is a breath-taking ambition, even for a politician. Read more
In the late 70s, an American public health council teamed up with DC Comics to create the villain Nick O’Teen. Nick O’Teen was an enemy of Superman. Read more
I have never been the greatest fan of PETA, the radical animal rights organisation (“People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals”). Don’t get me wrong, I love animals, usually medium-rare. Read more