Australian cities just became a lot more attractive for younger Kiwis. New Zealand’s housing will have to become a lot more affordable, in a hurry, to avoid losing them. Read more
I used to think that the future of work consisted of people talking about the future of work, and then I discovered ChatGPT. Many readers will be familiar with it. Read more
It is sometimes a personal experience that brings abstract policy discussions to life. And so let me share with you a chat I had last Friday with an Uber driver in Auckland. Read more
Wellington boasts three things in abundance: great coffee, civil servants, and wind. But it seems that the city council forgot to factor in the latter when designing its street lamps. Read more
On March 31st, at a meeting of member-countries, it was agreed that the UK would join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The CPTPP is one of the world’s largest free-trade blocs, accounting for 13% of global GDP, 15% of global trade, and 500 million people. Read more
After a massive amount of fiscal and monetary stimulus, New Zealand’s economy overheated. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) faces an uphill battle to bring inflation under control. Read more
It would be an understatement to say France has long sought to define and assert its position. Because with France, you sometimes do not even know who it regards as its friends and foes. Read more
I don’t know the right number of local water service entities. Neither do you. Read more
I remember Primary School maths as being about learning to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Once we had learned those things, we took on fractions and decimals. Read more
When Putin started his illegitimate war in Ukraine nearly 14 months ago, he claimed it was for its “demilitarisation and denazification”. Almost all security analysts, however, rejected this ridiculous suggestion. Read more
After the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, markets became concerned about Greece’s ability to repay its debts. Until the crisis hit, rating agencies were relaxed about Greece’s solvency. Read more
New Zealanders are lucky to live in a country which ranks towards the top globally for compliance with the rule of law. We owe this rich heritage to our predecessors. Read more
In the world of central banking, nothing is as sobering as being forced to confront the consequences of past policy mistakes. Last week, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) delivered a hefty 50 basis point increase in the Official Cash Rate (OCR), raising it to 5.25%. Read more
Falling carbon prices have the Finance Minister seeking advice on the Emissions Trading Scheme. The ETS can and should be bulletproof. Read more
So much has happened in the past few weeks that I am spoiled for choice of topics to discuss. In the US, two banks collapsed, causing the biggest bank failures since the GFC. Read more
