What happens when good governance becomes the enemy
Something odd is happening in New Zealand. The government wants to pass a law that would require ministers to explain their regulatory decisions. Read more
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Something odd is happening in New Zealand. The government wants to pass a law that would require ministers to explain their regulatory decisions. Read more
Picture this scenario: It is a Friday afternoon. A councillor receives a 600-page agenda for Tuesday's meeting. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 12 June 2025) - Picture this: a part-time councillor rushes home from their day job, grabs dinner, then sits down to wade through 600 pages of technical reports two days before a crucial council meeting. Sound familiar? Read more
New Zealand’s economy has a chronic capital problem – and it is getting worse. Over the last 50 years, New Zealand has become one of the most undercapitalised economies in the developed world. Read more
In this episode, Eric talks to Tom Mungham, the former Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, about gambling regulation. Drawing from Ontario's successful experience with online gambling regulation, they explore how New Zealand can learn from and adapt international best practices to create a robust, consumer-friendly regulatory framework that protects both players and market interests. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Nick Cater on Quadcast about the enduring influence of 1940s socialist planning on housing markets in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. Drawing on two decades of research, Dr Hartwich discussed how post-war socialist urban planning ideologies have created persistent housing affordability challenges, while highlighting recent reforms in New Zealand that aim to liberalise planning systems and strengthen property rights. Read more
Wellington (Thursday, 29 May 2025) - The Government's announcement of sweeping reforms to national direction under the Resource Management Act represents an important interim step toward fixing New Zealand's broken planning system. The reforms include proposed amendments to a suite of existing national direction instruments and several new instruments across three key areas: infrastructure and development, primary sector regulation, and freshwater management. Read more
Dr Bryce Wilkinson talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about the Regulatory Standards Bill, explaining why the legislation is necessary despite seeming redundant. Dr Wilkinson argued that the bill elevates essential regulatory principles to a higher statutory status, ensuring government accountability and protecting individual rights by providing a check against potentially oppressive legislation. Read more
On Tuesday morning, I attended a breakfast in New Zealand’s Parliament. The latest report from NZIER, the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, to Xero, the online accounting software company, “Going Digital in 2025,” was unveiled. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton talked to Wallace Chapman on RNZ's show The Panel about Treasury's initial decision to ban civil society groups like the New Zealand Initiative from the 2025 budget lockup. Dr Crampton explained how Treasury had reversed their decision following legal threats and media backlash, highlighting the importance of maintaining access for organisations that provide independent analysis of budget announcements. Read more