Reports & Media

Transport policy in New Zealand increasingly resembles an episode of Utopia, the Australian comedy series that lampoons a government agency responsible for large infrastructure projects. In one memorable episode, the hapless bureaucrats in the Nation Building Authority are instructed by a political staffer to investigate the feasibility of a “very fast train” connecting Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane despite reams of evidence suggesting it is a terrible idea. Read more

If everything had gone according to plan, this column would have been about the visit of the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, to New Zealand. That would have been appropriate as German ministers do not make it to this part of the world too often. Read more

Shakedown rackets are, thankfully, illegal. Except when government legislates them. Read more

Why does so much of the world speak English? As someone who was born in Canada, educated in the UK and US, and has now been living in New Zealand for more than a decade, the question has always fascinated me. Read more

In 1989, the Lange government implemented the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms. The old Department of Education was replaced by a new agency, the – initially – much leaner Ministry of Education. Schools became self-governing. Read more

Ingredients: 1 cup contradiction (finely chopped) 500 grams of voter polling (preferably gullible) 2 tablespoons of economic nonsense (no substitutes) A generous pinch of legal complexity A dash of ambiguity (to taste) A sprinkling of international tax quirks A heaped spoonful of political expediency Preparation: 1. Start with the contradictions: Begin by asserting that the policy will help low-income families. Read more

Election years rarely see the best economic policy ideas. It is easy enough to understand why. Read more

In New Zealand’s public policy circles these days, you cannot escape the buzz about Ireland. Whether in the corridors of power, at business gatherings, or even casual coffee catch-ups, Ireland is the talk of the town. Read more

When the magician on stage flamboyantly waves the handkerchief with his left hand, it’s generally a good idea to keep an eye on what’s going on with the other hand. And I’ve failed that test. Read more