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Asking the public for submissions on pending legislation while the country is in pandemic lockdown risks making a farce of democracy and unnecessarily distracting the Government, according to a new policy paper by the New Zealand Initiative. The business of government must go on, said the Initiative’s chief economist Dr Eric Crampton, but politicians can afford to put less urgent matters aside for the time being. Read more

New Zealand’s way of regulating nightlife often restricts the opportunities for night owls. This has made nights overly tedious without improving issues of public health and security. Read more

The government’s goal of a highly skilled and innovative workforce and an economy that delivers well-paid, decent jobs and broad-based gains from economic growth and productivity, is a laudable aim. It is what governments should strive for. Read more

Tobacco policy in New Zealand has traditionally neglected the needs of smokers. The good news is that youth uptake of smoking has significantly declined. Read more

Read The New Zealand Initiative's submission to the Social Services and Community select Committee on the Child Poverty Reduction Bill. Read more

New Zealanders should be a lot healthier and better off today than they were in 1970. Income per head is almost twice what it was 1970. Read more

The New Zealand Initiative is New Zealand's leading think tank. The Initiative produces accessible, evidence-based research (available in print and online) with a focus on policy areas we believe are vital for a free and prosperous New Zealand. Read more

New Zealand is widely regarded as a unique place, renowned for its natural beauty, culture, economic freedom, and quality of life. Immigration has played an important part in achieving this outcome. Read more

There is an inequality paradox in New Zealand. Despite increasingly frequent newspaper headlines on inequality, the data shows that inequality in income and inequality in consumption have not changed substantially for at least a decade. Read more

Lifestyle regulations assume people do not always act in their best interests. The Health of the State warns against policies designed to protect people from themselves. Read more