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Wellington (Wednesday, 24 June 2026) – The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), which funds injured New Zealanders’ care and recovery, has halted a decade of decline. But a New Zealand Initiative report warns its recovery rests on tighter decisions and exits, not proven rehabilitation. Read more

In this episode, Jamuel talks with Oliver Hartwich about his report Half a Turnaround, which examines how ACC's outstanding claims liability more than doubled over a decade as more injured New Zealanders became stuck on long-term support. Oliver argues that ACC has halted the financial deterioration through tighter claim decisions, not yet through proven gains in rehabilitation, and sets out reforms including a 28-day rehabilitation guarantee to restore the scheme's original promise of getting injured people back to work. Read more

New Zealand spends more on infrastructure than almost any developed country, yet still cannot build the pipes and roads new housing needs. Why? Read more

Wellington (Wednesday, 17 June 2026) – New Zealand cannot build enough houses because councils cannot afford the pipes and roads that new suburbs need. That is the conclusion of a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. Read more

In this episode, Oliver talks with Eric about Budget 2026, which brings the forecast surplus forward a year but rests on a series of lucky breaks, from oil prices falling to fiscal discipline surviving the election and coalition negotiations. They weigh what is driving spending well above 2019 levels, the case for superannuation reform, council incentives to go for growth, the shrinking public service, and why Treasury's tobacco and alcohol excise forecasts keep going wrong. Read more