New Zealand introduced a comprehensive GST in 1986. Value-added taxes elsewhere were riddled with politically-driven exemptions. Read more
You might think that a national organisation awarding research grants would fund the best proposals. You might even think that funding decisions would be made by experts who can identify quality when they see it. Read more
You can learn a lot about a household’s priorities, or an agency’s priorities, when budgets tighten. For the past few months, we have heard a lot about how the health system has been cut to the bone. Read more
Angela Merkel is “fundamentally an optimist”, she tells Der Spiegel magazine in her first major interview since leaving office. One wonders why. Read more
Imagine sitting at the kitchen table, surrounded by bills and bank statements. Your household expenses have spiralled out of control over the past five years, rising by nearly 160% while your income grew by only 142%. Read more
This column is by the second author from our collaboration with Rototuna Junior High School's student think tank project. Traffic congestion is one of Hamilton’s most pressing issues. Read more
We all know we need to be prepared if we’re going to Australia. Brisbane has spiders the size of dinner plates. Read more
Should judges stick to applying the law, or should they reshape it to reflect society’s values? This fundamental tension over judicial power was laid bare at a New Zealand Law Society webinar this month about what it takes to become a High Court judge. Read more
Getting from Auckland to Cathedral Cove means a two-and-a-half-hour drive over 178 kilometres, the last third of which is a windy path through the Coromandel. Inland Revenue sets a $1.04 per kilometre mileage rate for business travel – a figure meant to include wear and tear on your vehicle as well as running costs. Read more
For decades, Australian advocates for indigenous reconciliation have pointed to New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi as a model. Where Australia lacks a foundational agreement with its First Nations peoples, New Zealand has had one since 1840. Read more
The Ch'íyáqtel First Nation near Chilliwack, British Columbia, is tiny. The Band counts 731 members, some 58% of which live on Ch'íyáqtel lands. Read more
Every Wednesday, New Zealand Initiative staff meet to discuss our columns for the week. It is part of our routine. Read more
All my friends sometimes skip school. For my school ‘think tank’ project, I decided to explore why they do so, and to propose some ideas for reducing the behaviour. Read more
One really ought to seek professional help for following German politics from Wellington. Like all addicts, I have a splendid rationalisation: My fortnightly column on European affairs for Newsroom requires me to stay informed about German politics. Read more
If you think you understand something pretty well, here’s a fun exercise. Explain in detail how the thing works, including how one part causes another part to move. Read more