OPINION

Education is valuable and having one should improve your life prospects. But does a generic bachelor’s degree guarantee its owner influence, riches and success? Read more

This week’s report by UNICEF highlighted slow internet speeds as the biggest first world problem for around 80% of New Zealanders. Current infrastructure is struggling to meet the daily demands of consumers, causing network congestion. Read more

To international observers, Der Spiegel’s current cover must look rather odd. "Attention! Read more

The productivity commissions in New Zealand and Australia recently completed a joint study to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Closer Economic Relations (CER) and examine ways to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries. This was a welcome development, as there is a feeling that CER has stalled over the past couple of decades, particularly in capital flows and mutual recognition of franking and imputationcredits. Read more

Police statistics released this week show crime rates dropping to their lowest since 1988–89. Recorded offences dropped to 394,522 in 2011–12, down by 21,802 or 5.2% from 2010–11. Read more

A disclosure: I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. Indeed, I abhor the smell of tobacco and pestered my parents into giving up smoking when I was child. Read more

All of Europe is an economic disaster zone. All of Europe? Read more

The new governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Graeme Wheeler, just signed a slightly revised policy target agreement with a greater focus on financial stability, but for some this is not going far enough. A curious coalition of exporters, newspaper commentators, Labour, the Green Party, and New Zealand First wants the RBNZ to relinquish its traditional focus on inflation. Read more

Australia’s economic prosperity has been luring Kiwis across the ditch for years. After a talk this week at The New Zealand Initiative by The Australian newspaper’s economic correspondent, Adam Creighton, it is beginning to become clear why. Read more

This past week there has been much speculation about the Lobbying Disclosure Bill put forward by Green MP Holly Walker. The bill has come under criticism for being poorly drafted and far too broad in scope. Read more

After three years of the euro crisis, it is surprising how announcements still impress markets. The approval of the European Stability Mechanism by the German constitutional court and the plans of the European Central Bank to purchase unlimited quantities of government debt were enough to calm the markets and reduce yields on euro periphery debt. Read more

Partnership schools (kura hurua) have become a topic of intense political debate in what appears to be a case of those shouting the loudest being heard the most. The criticisms are many and varied – and unavoidable on both radio and TV. Read more

It’s almost fifty years since Donald Horne published his book ‘the Lucky Country’ in 1964. For most Australians the phrase has become a reminder of Australia’s natural beauty, its isolation from wars and the country’s substantial wealth as well. Read more

Last week a lucky Lotto player won $27 million. All the attention the game has been receiving recently makes this a good time to ask why it is still run by the state? Read more

When Germany’s Constitutional Court cleared the path for the European Stability Mechanism and the Fiscal Compact, markets and governments joined in a collective sigh of relief. With the last legal hurdle cleared, the €700 billion fund to stabilise Europe’s monetary union, rescue over-indebted governments and struggling banks could be established and the euro saved. Read more