The government’s new housing package, announced in March, will increase rents, and reduce the supply of rental accommodation to the detriment of many. Pressure to intervene in the rental market is already mounting. Read more
Shortly after he lost his Australian premiership, I attended a small, private dinner with John Howard in London. We talked about his nearly 12 years in office and the lessons he had learnt. Read more
For this week's podcast, we chat to the Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich a few days on from his New Zealand citizenship ceremony to find out about what led him to think tank-land in New Zealand.
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Senior Fellow Dr David Law and Renters' United spokesperson Ashok Jacok discuss their views on rent controls on Radio New Zealand's Morning Report programme. The government's housing package, released last month, primarily focused on measures to dampen housing demand, particularly from those who provide rental services, rather than the key drivers of inadequate housing supply. Read more
It is now clear the government’s housing package was not a joke. The government released the policy shortly before April Fools’ Day. Read more
Pressure to intervene in the rental market is growing. The government’s new housing package, announced in March of this year, will increase rents and reduce the supply of rental accommodation to the detriment of many. Read more
The Government’s recent housing package announcement primarily focused on measures to dampen housing demand, particularly from those who provide rental accommodation services, rather than the key drivers of inadequate housing supply. Focusing on these measures is likely to have little effect on housing affordability in the long run. Read more
Too many New Zealanders demand and expect too much from Government. One result is a never-ending cycle of disappointment and fruitless exhortation. Read more
New Zealand was not caught entirely flat-footed last January when Covid first began making itself known. But we were several steps behind Taiwan, whose Central Epidemic Command Centre was alert to the risk very early. Read more
It is said going to court means putting your fate in the hands of twelve people who were not smart enough to get out of jury duty. Which says a lot because avoiding jury duty is simply a matter of not turning up. Read more
I previously wrote about the gateway to property speculation, the Monopoly board game. In response, readers said that they wanted to play Monopoly with their kids but were worried that the original rules aren’t realistic enough. Read more
Is it okay not to have an instant opinion on the Government’s proposed health shake-up? There is no doubt the package, announced by Health Minister Andrew Little on Wednesday, is bold. Read more
Following the National Party's housing policy announcement, The New Zealand Initiative's executive director Dr Oliver Hartwich and the Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams discuss their views on fiscal incentives for councils as a way to encourage more houses to be built.
The New Zealand Initiative · Podcast: Oliver Hartwich and Jordan Williams discuss fiscal incentives for councils Read more
A spectre is haunting Europe – the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a holy alliance to exorcise this spectre.” That was the beginning of The Communist Manifesto (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Read more
During the Covid pandemic, the public has heard a lot about the precautionary principle. The Prime Minister referred to it when announcing every lockdown. Read more
