Reports & Media

With the resurgence of far left politics in places like the UK and US, the narrative that capitalism is a destructive force that seeks profit at any cost has increasingly been doing the rounds. This argument can be persuasive, but only if you ignore the transformative power of markets. Read more

If there is one overarching theme in the Department of Internal Affairs’ report on loopy regulations, released this week, it is that our regulations have become so complicated that nobody really knows what the rules are any more. The Rules Reduction Taskforce set out last year to collect examples of “loopy” regulations in need of updating. Read more

Volkswagen’s admission of having systematically manipulated emissions results of its cars has not only plunged the world’s second-largest car manufacturer into crisis, but it is also causing damage to Germany’s international reputation. But why is anyone surprised? Read more

I have a vested interest in refugee matters. Not only at a personal level, having arrived in New Zealand as a refugee 20 years ago, but I have also spent the past 10 years working with refugee communities in various capacities. Read more

It’s a rare day I do not pass by one of Wellington’s many bucket collectors. On my morning walk from the train station through to Lambton Quay, it’s more common to see at least three or four of them than to see none. Read more

At The New Zealand Initiative researchers are exposed to a wide array of interesting information from various sources. Some of this relates research, others just fit into areas of interest. Read more

Shortly after being chosen by his party as Australia’s new Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull singled out one international leader as his role model: his New Zealand counterpart. “John Key has been able to achieve very significant economic reforms in New Zealand by doing just that, by taking on and explaining complex issues and then making the case for them,” Turnbull told the media. Read more

This week the people of Central Hawkes Bay, Wairoa, Napier and Hastings voted two-to-one against a proposal to merge their authorities into a mega-council. The move is a third black eye for the National-led government in recent years, which seems to view bigger-is-better as the model for local government. Read more

In ground-breaking research conducted by the University of Cambridge, it has been discovered that “people consistently consume more food and drink when offered larger-sized portions, packages or tableware.” In other words, if you are offered more food, you tend to eat more food. Anyone who has visited a buffet restaurant could have drawn the same conclusion. Read more