Reports & Media

Join us on a fascinating journey, chugging through the intricate past, present, and future of rail transport in New Zealand. Chief economist Eric Crampton is once again joined by Client Service Lead for Milestone Solutions, Scott Wilson, to dig deep into the ownership structures and incentives that have guided the development of New Zealand's rail system. Read more

Tune into this riveting podcast for a deep-dive into the world of urban planning and infrastructure development in New Zealand! Chief economist Eric Crampton is joined by the Infrastructure Commission’s Nadine Dodge and Peter Nunns to grapple with the complex yet fascinating concept of corridor protection and how foresight is essential to avoid future urban development headaches. Read more

Welcome to the New Zealand Initiative podcast! In this episode, Michael Johnston has a fascinating conversation with Bali Haque, an experienced educator who has held various roles in the education sector. Read more

In this thought-provoking episode, the Initiative’s economists – Dr Oliver Hartwich, Dr Eric Crampton, Dr Tony Burton, and Dr Bryce Wilkinson – dive into the debate over whether Australia is a better option for skilled talent. They discuss the current challenges faced by New Zealand in terms of health, education, and infrastructure, and how the nation's performance is deteriorating relative to Australia. Read more

Learning is a central pursuit of the education system. It is essential that educators understand key elements of the science of human learning and how to apply them in the classroom. Read more

The Initiative team has welcomed a new addition to their team with the appointment of Tony Burton as a Research Fellow. Tony has a PhD in economics and philosophy from the University of East Anglia researching game theory and choice under uncertainty. Read more

In this podcast episode, the Initiative’s chief economist Eric Crampton is joined by OliverShaw Principal, Robin Oliver, to discuss new independent research which shows that high-wealth individuals pay more tax on average and represent a higher proportion of the total tax take than may previously have been thought. It has been strongly suggested that, in practice, New Zealand’s income tax regime is not as fair as statutory tax rates would suggest. Read more

In this podcast episode, we explore the state of education in New Zealand, both at the school and university levels. Drawing from our own experiences, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current education system and the challenges that students face in their pursuit of higher education. Read more

In this episode, Dr Oliver Hartwich and Dr James Kierstead discuss administrative bloat in New Zealand universities, focusing on the rise of non-academic staff and its potential consequences. Dr Kierstead shares some figures on the large number of non-academic employees compared to academic staff and compares the situation to other countries. Read more

Much can be learned from the past, both the good and the bad. The Initiative’s upcoming report takes a historical perspective on New Zealand’s infrastructure challenge and offers a roadmap for moving forward. Read more

In this week’s podcast, Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston are joined by visiting professor Dr Antje Barabasch to discuss vocational education and training, the Swiss dual education system, and the differences with the New Zealand system. Professor Dr Antje Barabasch is head of the research axe “Teaching and Learning in VET” and the research field “Learning cultures and instruction”. Read more

There are many pressing problems facing New Zealand, but none more urgent than the decay of our once great education system. For more than two decades, the literacy and numeracy achievement of our young people has been declining. Read more

Recent Ministry of Education publications bring mātauranga Māori concepts into the school curriculum. While concepts like mauri, a Māori term meaning “vital essence” or “life force”, may have something to offer science as a reflection of ecosystem health or the “life-supporting capacity” of rivers, any interpretation that equated mauri with chemical properties, or as “the binding force between the physical and the spiritual”, had no place in the chemistry curriculum and proposals to incorporate traditional knowledge in science curricula need a lot more reflection, with nobody excluded from the conversation. Read more

For years, The New Zealand Initiative has argued for the case for localism in New Zealand, which is one of the most centralised countries in the world. According to a recent tax sharing poll, 70% of people support keeping tax revenue in their communities. Read more

The public service, and the neutrality of its leaders, has become a recent issue. In this episode, Drs Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston discuss New Zealand's public service, how it is run, and the importance of public servants being impartial and objective in their work. Read more