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
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
This manifesto draws on the body of research compiled at The New Zealand Initiative over the past decade to bring together a coherent plan to improve our education system, and to restore it to a place of international pre-eminence. New Zealand’s once world-leading school education system is in a state of deep malaise. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 27 April 2023) – A comprehensive report authored by Dr Michael Johnston offers a detailed analysis of the current challenges facing New Zealand’s educational infrastructure. Save our Schools: Solutions for New Zealand’s education crisis outlines a series of innovative proposals for reforming and revitalising New Zealand's education system, including curriculum, assessment and qualification systems, initial teacher education, teacher career structure, teacher supply, systems monitoring, and information provision to parents. Read more
Webinar: A Turning Point for New Zealand’s Education System Join us for a webinar as we launch “Save Our Schools: Solutions for New Zealand's Education Crisis.” Our webinar, and our publication, come at a critical moment. New Zealand faces the choice between reform and decline in our education system. 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
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
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
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
Scathing criticism of the role politics played in our COVID-19 response. A review co-authored by Emeritus Professor Des Gorman and published by The New Zealand Initiative, says while they don't disagree with the overall strategy or the public health measures, the governing left a lot to be desired. Read more
A critical analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic management in New Zealand A pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) continues both worldwide and in New Zealand. Although estimates are that half the New Zealand population have been infected, more likely almost every citizen has come into contact with the virus in some way. Read more
On the same day the police watchdog's report into the force's handling of last year's protest and three-week occupation of parliament is being released, a think tank's report into the government's Covid-19 response has found it overly political, lacking adaptability and agility, and needing more transparency. The study called Lifting the Lid: A Critical Analysis of the Covid-19 Pandemic Management in New Zealand and it has been published by The New Zealand Initiative, a pro-free-market think tank. Read more
A pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) continues both worldwide and in New Zealand. Although estimates are that half the New Zealand population have been infected, more likely almost every citizen has come into contact with the virus in some way. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 20 April 2023) – A new report, authored by Emeritus Professor Des Gorman and Dr Murray Horn, reveals that New Zealand's COVID-19 pandemic management was highly politicised and resulted in poor performance during the outbreak. Lifting the Lid: A Critical Analysis of the Covid-19 Pandemic Management in New Zealand offers recommendations on how to improve future responses. Read more