Reports & Media

Dr Oliver Hartwich was featured on Newstalk ZB's news segments commenting on Reserve Bank independence. He argued that the government should let the Reserve Bank maintain its independence and focus on addressing inflation without political interference over interest rate decisions. Read more

Roger Partridge talked to Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB about the NZ Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey, describing business leaders' sentiment as "grim" due to New Zealand's struggling economy and high cost of living. He called for greater bipartisanship on long-term economic issues like retirement savings and infrastructure, while noting that Trump's tariffs have significantly impacted CEO confidence despite the global community underestimating the reality of his trade policies. Read more

Wellington (Monday, 22 September 2026) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has been unfairly scapegoated for the current recession when it was simply doing its job of bringing inflation under control, according to new research from The New Zealand Initiative. The research note, Monetary Policy Without Mates, reveals that while the RBNZ fought to tame inflation that peaked at nearly 8%, the government's fiscal policy worked against these efforts – forcing interest rates to stay higher for longer. Read more

Mike Hosking discussed the Initiative's report "Monetary policy without mates" on Newstalk ZB, agreeing with its argument that the Reserve Bank has been unfairly scapegoated for the current recession when it was simply doing its job of bringing inflation under control. He emphasised that the government's fiscal policy worked against the Reserve Bank's efforts, with Grant Robertson's spending forcing interest rates to stay higher for longer. Read more

Herald NOW mentioned Dr Oliver Hartwich on their news segment about the Reserve Bank governor appointment. He emphasised the importance of maintaining the Reserve Bank's independence and allowing it to focus on addressing inflation without political interference. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich debated Robert MacCulloch on The Platform over claims that the New Zealand Initiative has "captured" the National government and is controlling fiscal policy. Dr Hartwich defended the Initiative, stating they have minimal contact with government ministers and would have pursued different policies if they truly had influence, particularly opposing last year's tax cuts in favour of budget consolidation and deficit reduction. Read more

In this episode, Oliver talks to Sam Andrews, Chief Strategy Officer at Bastion Security, about New Zealand’s cybersecurity landscape and the evolving threats facing organisations. They explore how AI is reshaping both attacks and defences, the strengths and weaknesses of New Zealand’s regulatory framework, and why building resilience is just as vital as strong security. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton told Kerre Woodham on Newstalk ZB that New Zealand’s 0.9% economic contraction reflects the Reserve Bank “going incredibly overboard” in 2020–21 and losing credibility on inflation, making today’s correction unavoidable. He criticised government claims of restraint, noting budgets remain “incredibly stimulatory” with “massive structural deficits,” and argued that if spending had returned to 2019 wellbeing-budget levels, the Bank would have had far more room to cut interest rates. Read more