Reports & Media

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

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 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

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

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

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

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 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