New Zealanders recently learned about a new feature film. It will be about former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern – and taxpayers will subsidise it to the tune of NZ$800,000. Read more
Transport policy increasingly resembles a culture war, with Lycra-clad cycling enthusiasts pitted against V8-loving, gas-guzzling motorists. To put it another way, Kiwis are either champions of light rail or proponents of Roads of National Significance. Read more
According to Stats NZ, the 2023 average gender pay gap across the entire New Zealand workforce was 8.6 per cent. The gap has not shifted much in recent years. Read more
The Sen̓áḵw development near downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, won’t quite be a city within the city. But it will be close. Read more
Last week, we applauded Housing Minister Chris Bishop for his housing policy proposals. Incentives for councils to promote growth perfectly match Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s repeated calls for localism. Read more
On Monday, Transport Minister Simeon Brown released the long-awaited draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport. The GPS outlines the Government’s priorities for investment in New Zealand’s transport network over the next ten years and how it expects NZTA and local authorities to manage the $7 billion annual National Land Transport Fund. Read more
Readers will no doubt be aware of the WEF and of the many interesting and informative articles and posts about the organisation that can be found online. You may be aware, for example, that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as being the secret love child of Fidel Castro, is a WEF puppet. Read more
Last month’s Legal Research Foundation conference commemorating the Supreme Court’s 20th anniversary could mark a turning point for New Zealand’s highest court. Or at least it should if the Supreme Court justices were listening. Read more
All eyes are on Europe as the Russian onslaught continues, Ukraine runs out of ammunition, and America’s upcoming election induces paralysis. Will the continent stand up to the challenge? Read more
Housing policy made significant progress this week. The housing minister, Chris Bishop, addressed the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and released a cabinet paper outlining his plan for solving the housing crisis. Read more
Last year, the Initiative released a report on administrative bloat at New Zealand universities. It showed that the majority of staff at New Zealand universities are non-academics, and that this has been the case for quite some time. Read more
Today I found out that both the Prime Minister and I are self-described “test cricket tragics”. If he can tell me what Neil Wagner’s final bowling average is upon retirement, I’ll believe him. Read more
Two weeks ago, some of the contributors to the substantial Economic Forum run by the University of Waikato unintentionally took me back to the days of New Zealand’s National Development Conferences in 1968 and 1972. They did so by calling on central government to lead and set a clear vision and action plan. Read more
Late last year, I taught my final course for Victoria University of Wellington, guiding 19 young Kiwis around Greece for the Classics field trip. The trip offered plenty of food for thought (not to mention food) for anyone interested (and how could you not be?) in the stupendous artistic and intellectual achievements of the ancient Greeks. Read more
When universities appoint vice-chancellors, they do not just pick a chief executive. They choose their academic leaders, who understand the value of research, teaching, and engagement with the public. Read more