The (transplanted) paranoid style in Kiwi politics
Some essays are timeless. In 1964, Richard Hofstadter diagnosed what he called “The Paranoid Style in American Politics”. Read more
Some essays are timeless. In 1964, Richard Hofstadter diagnosed what he called “The Paranoid Style in American Politics”. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on the Resource Management (Consents and Other Systems Changes) Amendment Bill is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. Read more
It wasn’t that long ago that New Zealand’s housing market made international news because of its insanity. In 2016, The Guardian tagged Auckland as the “hottest property market in the world” – and part of a housing crisis. Read more
Jordan Peterson’s recent keynote at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in Sydney laid bare a critical divide within classical liberalism. Peterson champions individual responsibility and free markets. Read more
I’m Barbara Oakley, and I’m delighted to be spending nearly six months with The New Zealand Initiative. My husband, Phil and I are thrilled to return to New Zealand. Read more
A few years ago, when I was still a classics lecturer, I started to notice a disturbing trend. Scholars were being denounced on Twitter (RIP) for wrongthink. Read more
I didn’t think it was going to go like this. But here we are. Read more
Waitangi day debates about New Zealand’s sovereignty often fixate on a single moment: the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. This focus is understandable, given the Treaty’s significance to both Māori and the Crown. Read more
In this episode, Eric talks to Derek Gill, an adjunct scholar at Victoria University, about new research conducted with colleagues that tracks the growth of New Zealand's regulatory state from 1908 to 2024, revealing a steady increase in regulation averaging 2.4% annual growth since 2008, regardless of which political party was in power. The research challenges the common narrative about deregulation in the 1980s and shows that New Zealand's regulatory growth mirrors international trends, though more work is needed to fully understand secondary legislation and sector-specific patterns. Read more
If you believe last week’s hysterical headlines from Germany, you might think the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is about to take power in Europe’s largest economy. The reality is more complicated. Read more
If you believe some of its critics, the pending Regulatory Standards Bill is a demonic measure to end New Zealand society as we know it. This is beyond false; it is ridiculous. Read more
Growing up, I always loved flipping through my dad’s catalogues showcasing sample slabs of stone benchtops. Like many other tradespeople, my dad has taken pride in helping people design beautiful kitchens. Read more
Prime Minister Luxon’s State of the Nation speech has already orchestrated an immediate response. The naysayers have identified the possibility of success as a threat to our national way of life. Read more
Regular Stuff columnist Damien Grant is a great friend of The New Zealand Initiative. In fact, he’s a member. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich spoke on The Platform's 'Free Speech Fridays' with Sean Plunket and Mark Champion on political controversy, HRC leadership and institutional changes. The discussion covered ministerial remarks, Steven Rainbow's Holocaust memorial speech, changes to public appointments including the Waitangi Tribunal, and media coverage of Treaty principles bill submissions. Read more