Reports & Media

Earlier in the year, this column argued for a public service reset. It was prompted partly by the ballooning size of public sector headcount. Read more

You may be forgiven for not knowing who Michael Ashcroft is. In this country, he is hardly a household name. Read more

When land prices are wrong, it’s hard for anything to be right. When zoning makes it too hard to build in places where people want to live, land prices will be out of whack. Read more

In a courageous move, the New Zealand Government introduced a bill that would allow 16-year-olds to vote in local elections. Yes, you read that right: 16. Read more

“God’s own country” was how our longest-serving Prime Minister, Richard “King Dick” Seddon described New Zealand. The moniker he popularised for his country also proved enduring – even if by the late 20th century, it had become abbreviated to “Godzone.” Yet, as the 2023 general election approaches, New Zealand feels less blessed than it has in the past. Read more

At the end of the Cold War, western governments substantially reduced military expenditure. US President Bush and UK Prime Minister Thatcher called it the “peace dividend.” It was not a “dividend” in any normal sense of the term. Read more

This week, the National Party revealed its tax plans for the election. These are aimed at people with average incomes. Read more

When land prices are wrong, it’s hard for anything to be right. When zoning makes it too hard to build in places where people want to live, land prices will be out of whack. Read more