The Finance and Expenditure Committee resumed its banking inquiry this week, with Committee members wanting to hear again from bank chiefs. The Committee is looking for answers about banking competition. Read more
In this episode, Michael and Oliver sound the alarm about the transformation of global power following a February 2025 phone call between Presidents Trump and Putin, where the US reportedly conceded to Russia's demands over Ukraine without consulting European allies. They examine what they see as the collapse of the post-WWII liberal democratic order and its dire implications for Europe, the Pacific region, and New Zealand's future in an increasingly unstable world. Read more
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants a bureaucracy that says “yes.” He is right to want that of course, but a lot of current rules would need to change. Under current rules, far too much is too hard. Read more
Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB highlights the New Zealand Initiative's report on government bureaucracy, which reveals that Aotearoa has 44 per cent more ministers, nearly triple the portfolios, and one and a half times more departments compared to similar nations. Bridge uses Ireland as a key comparison, emphasising how they manage with just 15 ministers and 18 departments, while questioning why New Zealand needs 78 portfolios and 40 agencies to function effectively. Read more
When US President Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin on 12 February, he made history – but not in a good way. Following a 90-minute conversation, Trump announced he would meet Putin first in Saudi Arabia and then visit Moscow, while Putin would come to Washington. Read more
The Supreme Court’s decisions late last year in A, B and C v D and E Limited as Trustees of the Z Trusti (the Alphabet case) and Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (the Edwards case) v Ngāti Ira O Waiowekaii (the Edwards case) offer a striking study in contrasts. Both decisions have drawn attention for appearing to resist judicial overreach. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on the Gene Technology Bill is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. Read more
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has promised everything his government does this year will focus on creating growth. That is great. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on the discussion document Promoting competition in New Zealand – A targeted review of the Commerce Act 1986 is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses, and the International Center for Law & Economics [ICLE]. Read more
I. Introduction We appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Australian Government’s (“Government”) consultation on the implementation of a new digital competition regime.1 As we outline in our comments, the Government’s proposal rests on the assumption that there exists a broad global consensus on the need for ex-ante rules for digital platforms. This purported consensus is, however, largely overstated. Read more
Some people think we live in relatively safe times. Those people are naïve. Read more
In 2002, the ‘Corngate’ controversy broke in the media. Journalist John Campbell blindsided then-PM Helen Clark with allegations that genetically modified (GM) corn had been accidentally released in New Zealand. Read more
In this episode, James and Michael talk to Stephanie Martin from the Free Speech Union (and also the New Zealand Initiative) about a Law Commission consultation paper on hate crime legislation. The discussion examines the shift from treating hate as an aggravating factor in sentencing to creating specific hate crime offenses, while exploring philosophical questions about hate motivation and concerns about free speech implications. Read more
When a councillor in New Zealand’s Carterton District was elected on a platform of fiscal responsibility, she could not have expected to be barred from participating in budget deliberations. Yet that is exactly what happened when council bureaucrats deemed her campaign promises a “conflict of interest” that disqualified her from key financial decisions. Read more
It is hard to believe today, but a TV interview about genetic modification (GM) once upended an election campaign. That interview cast a long shadow over the use of GM in New Zealand. Read more