A sufficiently advanced incompetence in a president is indistinguishable from malice. Donald Trump has issued an Executive Order blocking legal American residents, who happen to have been born in a small set of Middle Eastern countries, from returning home. Read more
Running away from a problem will rarely solve it. No matter how fast you run, sooner or later the problem will catch up with you. Read more
This week, the Initiative scored plenty of media mentions – not just in New Zealand but worldwide. Under normal circumstances, this would be a reason to celebrate. Read more
‘Alternative facts’ has been the phrase of the week. President Trump’s attempts to increase the crowd figures at his inauguration demonstrated a new low in post-truth politics. Read more
Public art can be a powerful thing. It can inspire, uplift, and even get us to think introspectively. Read more
Peter Thiel is a world-leading tech investor and a fascinating thinker. Of course NZ was right to make him a citizen. Read more
OPINION: This week, Demographia released their annual housing affordability survey. It has become a sad ritual at the beginning of each year to find out how unaffordable property has become across much of the English-speaking world. Read more
Want to rail against the Global 1% rich-listers? Be a bit careful: if you own a house in Auckland, mortgage-free, you could easily be on that list. Read more
At the beginning of 2017, New Zealand finds itself probably in the best position it has been in for decades. Key figures like economic growth, unemployment and inflation show a country in great shape. Read more
Fisheries management in New Zealand has been resting on its laurels for too long. The Quota Management System was once world-leading. Read more
Over summer, I’ve been disturbed with how many people shamelessly flaunt their inherited assets. These people are born with a certain privilege. Read more
Eric Crampton is a thin, boyish-looking Canadian who brings an original perspective and even a sense of fun to economic debates, which have not traditionally been a source of great humour. A case in point. Read more
Christmas is getting better. Maybe it’s because Kiwis are getting better at keeping New Year's resolutions. Read more
Now that Steven Joyce is to be given the Finance Minister reins, it is worth looking forward to what a Joycean finance ministry might bring. Joyce took a very active role in his administration at MBIE. Read more
For all of John Key’s achievements, his administration failed miserably in one area: housing affordability. When he became prime minister in 2008, house prices were already high. Read more