Last November, Germany’s “traffic light” coalition collapsed and snap elections were called for February 2025. I dutifully registered to vote as a German living abroad. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich interviews Dr Prabani Wood, who has worked as a GP in New Zealand for 15 years and discusses her report "The Heart of Healthcare," advocating for greater recognition of primary care's value in New Zealand's healthcare system. Dr Wood explains how continuous GP-patient relationships improve health outcomes and reduce costs, while highlighting challenges facing general practice including the inadequate capitation funding model and antiquated systems. Read Dr Prabani Wood's research note "The Heart of Healthcare: Renewing New Zealand's Primary Care System" here. Read more
In this episode, Michael interviews Katherine Hall, Executive Director of ConCOVE (Construction and Infrastructure Centre of Vocational Excellence), about the challenges facing vocational education and apprenticeships in New Zealand. They discuss systemic issues including poor completion rates, funding problems, and cultural stigma compared to university pathways, along with potential solutions inspired by Germany's dual training system. Read more
Winning an election can still mean losing control. This paradox is playing out in Germany right now. Read more
In this episode, Michael talks to Professor Barbara Oakley, a McGraw Prize recipient, New York Times bestselling author and creater of the world's largest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with over 5 million students. They discuss evidence-based approaches to mathematics education and the problems with constructivist teaching methods, while outlining their mission to support New Zealand's new knowledge-rich curriculum through workshops for teachers across the country. Read more
Following the early discovery of RNZ's 1996 time capsule beneath Parliament grounds, a frenzied competition has erupted. Government departments are desperate to cement their historical significance for future generations. Read more
his week, the Government unveiled its blueprint to replace the Resource Management Act. This is not just another policy tweak – it is a game-changer for New Zealand’s economy. Read more
Imagine asking a CEO to transform a struggling company but giving them just enough time to redecorate the office before facing shareholders again. This is essentially what we do with our three-year parliamentary terms. The Government's introduction of a Bill enabling a four-year term is a once in a generation opportunity for change. Read more
Trust in New Zealand is fracturing before our eyes. The 2025 Acumen Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a society divided by mistrust. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on Question 12 of the Inland Revenue issues paper Taxation and the not-for-profit sector is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. Read more
2024 has brought substantial progress in The New Zealand Initiative’s mission to build a more prosperous country. Our evidence-based policy recommendations have influenced reform across multiple sectors. Read more
Almost two decades ago, I published my first journalistic article. It was a short piece on the nature of money, inspired by Roland Baader, a German economist and student of Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek. Read more
New Zealand’s planning processes have been breaking Wright’s Law for too long. Yesterday’s resource management reform announcement goes some way to fixing things. Read more
If for some ghastly reason you wanted to hit two birds, and you had two stones, trying to hit both birds with each stone would be pretty silly. You can throw both stones, so why not target things a bit more closely? Read more
This webinar discusses policy initiatives to strengthen vocational education pathways in New Zealand. Drawing inspiration from Germany's successful dual-training model, Josh Williams and Dr Michael Johnston discuss initiatives in secondary and tertiary education to enhance the status and quality of trades and industry training. Read more