Regular Stuff columnist Damien Grant is a great friend of The New Zealand Initiative. In fact, he’s a member. Read more
Growing up, I always loved flipping through my dad’s catalogues showcasing sample slabs of stone benchtops. Like many other tradespeople, my dad has taken pride in helping people design beautiful kitchens. Read more
Has the Supreme Court once again stepped outside its lane? A recent ruling about who controls our coastlines suggests our highest court is trying to reshape laws made by Parliament, rather than just apply them. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton spoke to Sean Plunket on The Platform about privatisation. Watch below. Read more
“There’s always a reason to say no, but if we keep saying no, we’ll keep going nowhere.” With these words in his ‘State of the Nation’ speech last week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon diagnosed a critical barrier to New Zealand’s economic growth: a culture of negativity and excessive caution. Only a few days later, his government provided the perfect test case for Luxon’s diagnosis. Read more
It’s fair to say that economists like competition. It’s also fair to say that, when politicians start talking about competition, economists ought to get a little bit nervous. Read more
In this episode, James, Eric and Oliver critique Dame Anne Salmond's Newsroom article that characterises the proposed Regulatory Standards Bill as part of a broader neoliberal agenda to undermine democracy in New Zealand. They challenge both Salmond's immediate criticisms of the bill (which they argue misrepresents its regulatory quality focus) and her broader historical argument linking classical liberal organisations like the Mont Pelerin Society to anti-democratic movements, arguing instead that classical liberalism has historically stood against totalitarianism and for democratic values. Read more
If you’re reading this in print with your morning coffee, you’re probably not among the terminally online. For those who are among the terminally online, always hooked into what’s going on on Twitter and elsewhere, there’s probably no need to explain the vibes, or the shift in vibes. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston spoke on RNZ Nights on how New Zealand schools are increasingly adopting Cambridge International qualifications alongside or instead of the national NCEA system, with a 20% increase in Cambridge enrollment in 2024 reaching nearly 8,000 students. The key differences between the systems are that Cambridge relies on end-of-year exams while NCEA focuses on internal assessments throughout the year, with the expert suggesting that while choice is good, New Zealand should ultimately aim to develop NCEA to a quality level that wouldn't necessitate international alternatives. Read more
New Zealand, we love you. We love you Aussies. Read more
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech yesterday presents a clear shift towards economic growth. While familiar aspirational rhetoric featured prominently, his initiatives deserve support. Read more
How should politicians respond if public hospitals decided to stop treating injuries and illnesses? A version of this scenario is playing out in higher education across the English-speaking world. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich was interviewed on Newstalk ZB about Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's announcement of Invest New Zealand, a new foreign investment agency modeled after Ireland's successful IDA Ireland model. He emphasised that while legislative changes could happen quickly, New Zealand needs to shift its mindset from being overly cautious about foreign investment to actively welcoming it, noting how Ireland transformed itself by embracing such investments for economic growth. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Bryce about the Regulatory Standards Bill, which aims to prevent laws and regulations that would make New Zealanders worse off. Bryce explains that while there's currently a discussion document out for public feedback from the Ministry of Regulation, some recent criticisms misunderstand what's being suggested. Read more
Misinformation about the pending Regulatory Standards Bill is rife. Currently, there is no Bill, only a departmental discussion document. Read more