There are a couple of ways to solve a problem like the Court of Appeal’s ruling that four Uber drivers are employees rather than contractors. Either of them would work. Read more
Last week, an Uber driver surprised me in a conversation about the recent Court of Appeal decision classifying four Uber drivers as employees rather than contractors. My driver was blunt. Read more
Local councils and central government are in some financial difficulty. They own and operate many commercial assets with mixed objectives and mixed success. Read more
No longer content with only overseeing human enterprises, the Commerce Commission has set its eyes on perfecting New Zealand’s flora and fauna. “We have found unfair advantages in New Zealand’s ecosystems,” said a Commission spokesperson. Read more
People with office jobs typically find it hard to explain what they do. Government officials are no exception. Read more
Our recent Health Innovators' Summit in August brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore solutions for improving New Zealand's healthcare system. Watch the following highlight reel where attendees share their key takeaways from the event, highlighting discussions on localism, the importance of primary care, and the need for innovative approaches to address the challenges facing New Zealand's healthcare sector. Read more
In this episode, Oliver, Michael and Eric discuss the recent elections in two eastern German states, Thuringia and Saxony, where far-right and populist parties like the AfD and BSW gained significant ground, while traditional mainstream parties performed poorly. They explore the reasons behind this political shift, including frustrations with immigration policies, economic challenges, and nostalgia for the former East Germany, while also examining the broader implications for German politics and drawing lessons for other democracies about the dangers of ignoring citizens' legitimate concerns. Read more
In this episode, Oliver and Damian Grant discuss the challenges facing liberal democracies, inspired by Anne Applebaum's books "Twilight of Democracy" and "Autocracy Inc." They explore the rise of populism, the influence of autocratic regimes, political polarisation, and the erosion of democratic norms in various countries, while also relating these global trends to the New Zealand context. This episode was originally published on Damien's own podcast "Different Matters" which you can subscribe to here. Read more
On Sunday, Germany experienced a political earthquake. For the first time since 1933, a far-right party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), became the largest party in a state election. Read more
1.1 This submission in response to the Commerce Commission’s Consultation Paper Retail Payment System: Costs to businesses and consumers of card payments in Aotearoa New Zealand1 is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people. Read more
Misguided good intentions paved the way for this winter’s energy crisis. Fortunately, the country has avoided blackouts. Read more
New Zealand often reminds me of The Shire, the peaceful abode of the hobbits in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books. Read more
Classic-era Simpsons episodes may not have had the solutions to all of life’s problems, but they did get a few things right. Be sceptical of monorail salesmen. Read more
Academic freedom is an essential ingredient in any flourishing university system. It allows ideas to be put forward and debated, and thus underpins high-quality research and teaching. Read more
A short walk from Wellington’s shiny Tākina Convention Centre, a burst water main floods Kent Terrace. This contrast between impressive civic buildings and failing infrastructure captures local government's challenge: finding a balance between ambition, financial responsibility, independence and accountability. Read more
