Officially, New Zealand governments welcome overseas investment. In practice, they do much to thwart it, for no good reason. Read more
The OECD’s country report for New Zealand always reveals sobering home truths. This year’s was no exception. 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
On our latest episode of International Outlook, Ben Craven talks to Oliver Hartwich about the tumultuous leadership of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Oliver recounts his own interactions with the larger-than-life politician and explains what impact the latest lockdown party scandal will have on Boris’s leadership and the UK’s place on the global stage. 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
Toward the end of the classic Vietnam war film Apocalypse Now, Captain Willard finally found the object of his quest: the mad Colonel Kurtz. Kurtz asked whether Willard agreed with their superiors who believed that Kurtz’s methods were unsound. Read more
Last week’s announcement that inflation is at its highest level in more than 30 years was a shock. Consumer prices rose by 5.9% last year, the largest increase since June 1990. Read more
2022 will be an important year for the Government as it decides upon energy and emissions policies. Matt Burgess joins Ben Craven to talk about three of the important developments we can expect to see: • The effects of a $75 ETS price; • The Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan; and • The business case for the proposed Lake Onslow Battery scheme. Read more
Insights 47: / 17 December: Moving beyond the pandemic Insights 46: / 10 December: Beyond Covid-19 | Fiscal accountability matters | A Christmas wish Insights 45: / 3 December: Unemployment insurance is anti-social | Prudential climate reservations | WHO is on first Insights 44: / 26 November: Reading with the light switched on | How to cost taxpayers $6 billion | Medical ethics Insights 43: / 19 November: Vision for New Zealand | On houses and supermarkets | In praise of influencers Insights 42: / 12 November: Mahuta on Three Waters | Unemployment Insurance | Believing fairy tales Insights 41:/ 5 November: The next financial crisis? | Climate of distraction | Circuit-breaker lockdown needed ? Read more
We are still five days ahead of Groundhog Day (celebrated on 2 February each year), yet we feel like we have been here before. Only Punxsutawney Phil and Andie MacDowell are missing. Read more
When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. New Zealand's apparently record-low unemployment figures are a classic case. Read more
Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Is invasion inevitable, or does Putin have other goals in mind? Read more
Prudence is a virtue. Aristotle considered it among the nine most important. Read more
Research by financial journalist Bernard Hickey is showing that the wealth gap in New Zealand has widened during the pandemic. Business net worth has increased by more than $300 billion but those businesses that are struggling are being squeezed even further. Read more