Imagine a typical New Zealand family. Every couple of weeks, the salary arrives in their bank account. Read more
Dr James Kierstead talks to Dr Michael Johnston about NZ's interesting Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system vs First Past the Post (FFP), in the run-up to the 2023 NZ election. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
History does rhyme, and apocalyptic plays can make a sobering point or two. This government is borrowing heavily to fund current spending. Read more
In a recent survey[1], New Zealand voters were asked to nominate the issue of most importance to them in the forthcoming election. Unsurprisingly, hip-pocket matters topped the list, with the cost of living on 28% and the economy on 17%. Read more
Our Executive Director, Dr Oliver Hartwich, joined TVNZ Breakfast to discuss National's plan for those on jobseeker benefits. You can also read more about this discussion on the One News website here. Read more
We all know what ‘déjà vu’ is: that eerie sensation that we’ve been here before – that we are reliving a moment — often unpleasant — from the past. Many New Zealanders experienced a sense of déjà vu listening to the government’s recent statements about the economy and fiscal forecasts. Read more
On his breakfast show on Newstalk ZB, Mike Hosking talks to Dr Oliver Hartwich about the Initative's latest research note The Deficit Diaries: Six years of red. They discuss the Labour government's six-year fiscal record and the risk of fiscally optimistic projections. Read more
In this short research note, we have focused on the fiscal performance of the Sixth Labour-led Government. We have pointed out that much of our current predicament comes down to unrealistic plans, lack of commitment to stated intentions, and not enough rigour in fiscal management. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talks to Dr Bryce Wilkinson about The New Zealand Initiative’s latest research note they have written which analyses Labour’s six-year fiscal record. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 26 September 2023) - As we approach the 2023 election, New Zealanders must learn from the overly optimistic projections presented by Labour before the 2017 election. New Zealand cannot afford a repeat of this fiscal recklessness. Read more
The ban on the only cold medicine that seems to work never seemed likely to work. On Friday, some twelve and a half years after John Key banned it, David Seymour announced that the ACT Party would work to restore over-the-counter access to pseudoephedrine-based cold medicines. Read more
Here are a couple of highlights from the leaders’ debate last Tuesday evening: “That’s a good point, Christopher. Most economists do agree that selectively removing GST from fruit and vegetables is a dumb idea. Read more
On Newstalk ZB, Fran O'Sullivan mentioned The New Zealand Initiative and our trip to Ireland in a discussion about potential members of a National Party government. Read more
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington’s Cuba Mall has long been the capital city’s iconic water feature. However, it seems that new competition is emerging. Read more
Everyone knows the best rom-coms are built on love triangles. Think of Mark, Juliet and Peter from Love, Actually. Read more