The European crisis plays itself out on different levels: some clearly visible, others less so. What dominated the headlines of the past four years was Europe’s sovereign debt crisis. Read more
Oil and gas exploration is one of the most polarising issues being debated right now as judged by the number of "don't drill" signs popping up in the front yards of neighbourhoods across the country. That's probably because, as an issue, it's easy to polarise. Read more
When think tanks launch their reports, reactions are typically divided. Fair enough: our goal is to present innovative analysis and recommendations and trigger debates. Read more
Twenty-four hours from now local election voting closes. Time is ticking to tick those boxes, lick that envelope and proudly post your papers off, thus exercising your democratic right to vote for your chosen local government representatives. Read more
Safely perched in the obscurity of Wellington, it’s with a strange combination of boredom and fascination that I’m watching the US budgetary showdown, a bid by the Republicans to force the Obama administration to dial back state healthcare spending. This is because as a former markets reporter, I know almost with a certainty that one side will blink before too long. Read more
It is a sign of maturity when children discover that Santa is not real. There is no fat, bearded man who comes down the chimney and deposits gifts under the Christmas tree. Read more
Scaremongering about sea-level rise is an international pastime. Retired NASA scientist James Hanson appears to be leading the pack. Read more
A chameleon might blush with envy next to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Eight years after his election as leader of the Conservative Party, and a little more than three years since becoming Prime Minister in a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats, Cameron has reinvented himself yet again. Read more
One of the major issues facing businesses today in this globalised world is how to attract, develop and retain the right talent. And while money is of course important, professional development, career progression, job status, and the intrinsic value of work all play into this, making it all the more challenging for HR departments. Read more
What kinds of things matter for student achievement? Is it class size, school journals, the school building, or a flash new gym? Read more
Simon Cowan, at last weekend’s Liberty & Society conference, addressed the pressing issue of Australia’s ballooning federal expenditure and the huge economic and social impact this will have if spending isn’t curbed soon. The elephant in the room that Cowan, a research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, is referring to is Australia’s dwindling economic growth, an ageing population and the rapidly rising healthcare and pension costs associated with the demographic shift. Read more
The shifts in the political landscape with the anointment of David Cunliffe have sparked a flurry of ‘what if Labour and Greens get in?’ policy speculation recently, and unsurprisingly the electricity sector has been spotlight. Since it was first mooted earlier this year, the electricity industry and business sector have been at pains to call for a thorough economic analysis before policymakers dismantle the free market system currently used and move to a single buyer model. Read more
It is good to see housing high on the policy agenda. That is where it should be. Read more
For those who had hoped we might slowly leave the Great Recession behind, this week brought bad news on both sides of the Atlantic. In the US, the government shutdown after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on the budget. Read more
It was both unsurprising but interesting to open the paper this week and see the proposed Otaki Expressway in the headlines again. Unsurprising because the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) is currently having its resource consent heard for the proposed road, but interesting because of the way the NZTA lawyers are pitching the project. Read more