New Zealand’s economic and social decline is slowly receiving greater recognition amongst journalists and commentators. The litany of woes is daunting. Read more
What does an unemployment rate of 3.2 per cent have in common with apples rotting on the trees in orchards? Both are signs of an overheated labour market. Read more
If there were no better way of solving the problem, one could forgive how central government has approached water infrastructure reform. Some councils have done a very poor job in maintaining their pipes. Read more
On Sunday, the government announced an extension of the petrol excise and Road User Charge holiday, as well as half-price public transport, until the end of the year. The Beehive’s press release said that the move would reduce headline inflation by 0.5 percentage points. Read more
We can reasonably expect New Zealand’s economy to enter recession after the Reserve Bank raised its Official Cash Rate again by 50 basis points. No one likes being in recession, but current circumstances make it almost desirable. Read more
Since this is my first Insights column, I thought it might be good just to introduce myself and say a little bit about why I’ve joined the Initiative and what I’m hoping to achieve here. I came to New Zealand almost a decade ago to take up a position as a lecturer in Classics. Read more
We in the Beehive are aware of some unfounded dissatisfaction amongst the great unwashed. There are stories of a health system in crisis. Read more
As news of Boris Johnson’s imminent departure emerged last week, Newsroom Pro editor Jonathan Milne asked me if I wanted to write something about it quickly. Alas, I was attending a conference in Sydney. Read more
It's no secret that low productivity is a major issue for the New Zealand economy. There are many factors contributing to that. Read more
Question: How many electricians does it take to change a lightbulb? Answer: Just one, as long as they’ve completed a Job Safety, Environmental Analysis and Risk Assessment, a COVID-19 Workplace Safety SmartForm and an Electrical Safety Certificate. Read more
As an exemplar of the purest form of Kiwi anti-growth, anti-development orientation, it is hard to beat. If New Zealand doesn’t beat this particular habit, it is very hard to be optimistic about anything other than emigration. Read more
When Ministers appear before a Parliamentary Select Committee we do not expect them to make false assertions about factual matters. That is why we were shocked by what the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety told the Employment and Workforce Select Committee last month. Read more
When expectations are low it is easy to be pleasantly surprised. Back in the 1980s, a school teacher once told me of a spontaneous surge of gratitude he had experienced towards a wayward pupil that morning. Read more
The economists descended on Wellington last week. Or, at least, many shuffled their way from the Ministries over to Victoria University to meet with academics from across the country for the annual three-day conference of the New Zealand Association of Economists. Read more
A major part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s itinerary while in Europe this week included speaking at the NATO leaders’ summit in Spain. And what a good, powerful speech it was. Read more