What passes for economics in Wellington has seemed increasingly out of step with the academic consensus. Ideas long dismissed by academic economists as mad or harmful become trendy in Wellington circles. Read more
It is hard to be funny when you are an economist. Thankfully, we have the Reserve Bank. Read more
If you thought central planning was buried with the fall of communism, you should look at the European Union. In recent years, the EU has been working on its so-called taxonomy. Read more
Top economists agree on critical policy issuesThe inaugural New Zealand Economics Experts Survey finds remarkable consensus among the country’s top economists on critical policy issues. The New Zealand Association of Economists, in conjunction with the New Zealand Initiative, invited Distinguished Fellows, life members, and former Presidents of the New Zealand Association of Economists, and recipients of the NZIER ‘Economist of the Year’ award, to serve as an expert panel. Read more
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope joins Oliver Hartwich and Ben Craven on the podcast to discuss the Government's proposed unemployment insurance scheme. What will it mean for employers and employees? Read more
Since last week’s announcement, Finance Minister Grant Robertson’s proposed social unemployment insurance has been criticised across the political divide. Some complaints relate simply to timing. Read more
The dictionary defines taxonomy as a system of classification, especially in biology. But as any biologist will tell you, this is not always a straightforward task. Read more
A dark part of me hopes the government’s employment insurance scheme is enacted exactly as proposed. It will be terrible. Read more
This submission in response to the Commerce Commission’s (Commission) Residential Building Supplies Market Study Preliminary Issues Paperi 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
After weeks of waiting, a heavily abridged report into Downing Street’s party culture was finally published on Monday. The investigation was meant to determine whether UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff broke their own Government’s lockdown rules. Read more
The OECD’s country report for New Zealand always reveals sobering home truths. This year’s was no exception. Read more
Officially, New Zealand governments welcome overseas investment. In practice, they do much to thwart it, for no good reason. Read more
The early 90s was the last time New Zealand’s Reserve Bank had to get high inflation under control. Does the agency have the will and determination for the fight three decades later? Read more
This week the Government, joined by the Council of Trade Unions and BusinessNZ, launched a policy document on Social Unemployment Insurance. The compulsory scheme would see employers and employees pay an additional 1.39% of an employee’s salary or wages. Read more
Any student of classics would be familiar with the ancient Greek myth of Daedalus and his son Icarus. The pair used wax and feather wings to escape from the island of Crete. Read more