The debate about inequality is one of the most impassioned in contemporary politics. It touches on core beliefs about justice, rights and the ideal structure of society. Read more
As voters consider their options for the forthcoming election, it is a good time to reflect on the democratic process. New Zealand is a representative democracy – voters elect politicians to legislate on their behalf. Read more
Dr. Oliver Hartwich is joined by Gene Tunny, of the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, for a discussion about Gene's most recent paper about debunking the arguments behind the Degrowth movement. The New Zealand Initiative · EPS. Read more
1.1 This submission in response to the Draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people. Read more
Transport funding has become an incoherent mess. In August, the Ministry of Transport released the Draft Government Policy Statement on land transport funding. Read more
Dr. Michael Johnston appeared on Nine To Noon, hosted by Kathryn Ryan, to discuss the Initiative's new report on teacher education. You can also find the interview here. Read more
That is the sign all Ministers of Finance should have on their desk. Treasury’s latest pre-election economic and fiscal update this week forecast cumulative fiscal deficits of $17 billion for the four years ended June 2027. Read more
Imagine the outrage if it were revealed that our medical schools ignored scientific research in the training of doctors. Yet, when it comes to training teachers, ignoring science seems acceptable. Read more
Victoria University of Wellington has defended its plans to stop teaching German, Italian, Latin and Greek and to cease research in Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and French. ‘It’s not like anybody speaks these languages anymore,’ Ex Nihilo Vice Provost Brenda Boffin told us in an exclusive interview, ‘except for the 1.1 billion or so Chinese speakers, the 559 million Hispanophones, the 310 million speakers of French, the hundred and twenty million or so speakers of German and Japanese, and the almost 70 million Italian-speakers.’ When we mentioned that China and Japan together accounted for over $15 billion in exports last year, and that Germany, Mexico and France accounted for over a billion more, Prof. Read more
On 14 October, the same day Australia will vote on the Voice referendum, New Zealanders will also go to the polls, to elect a new Parliament. But where the choice in Australia is between a relatively straightforward ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, things are not quite as clear-cut in New Zealand. Read more
Tuesday’s Treasury’s pre-election forecasts confirmed that Government spending exceeds revenue by more than what was forecast in the May 2023 Budget. Far too many commentators are concluding the increase is not too bad. Read more
The most important component of any system of school education is its teachers. But, New Zealand’s teacher education programmes do not ensure that new teachers are well prepared for the classroom. Read more
Who Teaches The Teachers, The New Zealand Initiative's new report, discusses the current issues with teacher training in New Zealand. Join Dr. Oliver Hartwich and Dr. Michael Johnston for a discussion about the new report. Read more
Dr. Michael Johnston is joined by Adjunct Fellow Stephanie Martin and Dr. Kevin Knight, founder and owner of the New Zealand Graduate School of Education in Christchurch, for a discussion about the issues currently facing the training of our teachers. The New Zealand Initiative · EPS. Read more
Good teachers need to be many things. They must be experts in the knowledge they teach. Read more