Policy problems should be dealt with by the level and part of government best placed to deal with them. Good public policy should recognise subsidiarity. Read more
I wonder whether Media Minister Paul Goldsmith appreciates the problem that he has caused for the tech sector, for media companies, for himself, and for his government. Before the election, National Party spokesperson Melissa Lee condemned Labour’s Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill. Read more
New Zealand has an opportunity to reform its transport system. Road pricing can help create a smarter, more efficient transport network across our cities and highways. Read more
Last Thursday, as any readers not currently residing under rocks will know, there was a general election in the UK. Labour won big, earning the second largest parliamentary majority in the party’s history. Read more
My fellow Americans, I used to carry around this little book. Or maybe it was a big book. Read more
Folks, let me tell you about this thing, this beautiful, incredible thing we have. It’s called the Constitution. Read more
New Zealand’s transport system has veered off course. Our cities are choked with traffic and our state highways are crumbling. Read more
The 2024 UK general election will go down in history as a seismic shift in British politics. But not for the reasons many commentators suggest. Read more
Another step towards much-needed reform of New Zealand's resource management laws is underway, in the form of a Bill to restore balance and streamline processes. The Resource Management Act (RMA) and associated regulations have become a serious handbrake on the economy. Read more
Recent events across the Western world paint a troubling picture. The unsettling Trump-Biden debate, the rise of populist parties in Europe, and a surge in Euroscepticism all point to a system in distress. Read more
In a groundbreaking move to elevate New Zealand's cultural standing on the world stage, the government has announced plans to subsidise the production of Shortland Street to the tune of millions. The long-running soap opera, known for its focus on extramarital affairs and promotion of D-listers, is now entering the pantheon of Kiwi high culture. Read more
On Monday, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon released his government’s 40-point policy action plan for the next three months. Perhaps the most important, but also the most controversial, item on his ‘to-do list’ is reform of the Resource Management Act (RMA). Read more
As Peter Dutton promotes his vision of a nuclear-powered Australia, New Zealanders should also be thinking about their country’s energy future. Given the right energy policy choices, New Zealand would have a chance to redefine its economic future. Read more
If philosophy students remember one thing from their lectures on Immanuel Kant in undergraduate classes, it is his categorical imperative. It’s easy to remember because it’s an awful lot like the old Christian ‘Golden Rule’. Read more
There’s a style of conference talk that I loathe. A self-described visionary will spend twenty minutes, or worse - even longer, stringing together clichés about how change is happening faster than ever before, how it will take soft skills to navigate it, and how we need to be ready. Read more