Reports & Media

Normally, neither governments nor economists are fans of monopolies. Monopolies restrict production to draw higher prices on what they sell. Read more

Last week, I interviewed Scott Scoullar, Chief Executive of Summerset, one of New Zealand’s largest retirement village operators, for our podcast. His assessment of our aged care challenges was sobering and demands urgent policy attention. Read more

American political scientist Francis Fukuyama is best known for declaring the “end of history” after the Cold War. History, of course, had other plans. Read more

Resources Minister Shane Jones recently floated a novel idea: government-backed insurance for oil and gas investors to protect them against future policy reversals. Let that sink in. Read more

The United States is in turmoil, and so is its currency. Since Donald Trump slapped tariffs on all imports, global markets have retreated. Read more

One hundred days into Donald Trump’s second presidency, his economic nationalism has produced an unexpected consequence. The man who campaigned on ‘America First’ and delivered sweeping tariffs within weeks of retaking office has become an unlikely champion of free trade – by forcing his opponents to defend it. Read more

This year marks my twentieth anniversary working in think tanks. Two decades ago, I produced my first major publication for London’s Policy Exchange with the late Professor Alan W. Read more

For decades, New Zealand’s industry training system has been a poor cousin to the university system. In recent years, only about 6% of school leavers have undertaken apprenticeships. Read more

A drunkard searches for keys under a street lamp. When asked if he lost them there, he replies: "No, but the light is better here." Economists can also seek solutions to poverty, inequality and social problems in familiar places. Read more

If asked to nominate the main objective of public schooling, most people would probably say that it is to teach young people the knowledge they need to thrive in adult life. However, according to the Education and Training Act, that is just one of four equally important objectives. Read more