Government & Politics
Government is present in most aspects of our lives. It taxes and spends more than a third of our economic output. It employs hundreds of thousands of people. It regulates the way New Zealanders can work, travel, do business, and interact with one another.
Our research focuses on how the will of Parliament interacts with society, whether legislation is fit for purpose, and whether certain policy settings can be improved.
The actions of previous political administrations can inspire current and future governments. But if they are based more on myth than reality, the risk creating false impressions that can lead to poor public policy. We have explored these themes most recently with the essay, Illusions of History: How misunderstanding the past jeopardises our future (2021).
Other examples of our work in this field include our report on government efficiency Fit for Purpose? (2018), our recommendations for regulatory reform, or Reducing Unnecessary Regulatory Costs (2015).