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Imagine that your family spent twice as much as it earned last month. Around the kitchen table the mood would be grim and the bank’s patience likely wearing thin. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 16 September 2025) – The New Zealand Initiative welcomes the Government’s decision to strengthen the governance of the Commerce Commission, describing it as an important step towards world-class regulatory practice. The Initiative’s 2018 report Who Guards the Guards? Read more
In this episode, Eric and Nick talk to Michael (Mick) Keen, a former Deputy Director of the IMF's Fiscal Affairs Department and co-author of "Rebellion, Rascals and Revenue", about the many ways taxation can go wrong throughout history. They explore bizarre historical taxes like Britain's window tax and ship taxation, discuss New Zealand's exemplary GST system, and examine how poor tax design can lead to smuggling, rebellions, and unintended economic distortions. Read more
Last week, Donald Trump slapped a 15% tariff on New Zealand exports. An annual nine billion dollars of our goods will now face higher barriers entering the US market. 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
The government has viewed stronger retail grocery competition as a national priority. But zoning, consenting, and overseas investment approval processes make new entry far too difficult. Read more
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus is condemned to spend eternity rolling a massive boulder uphill, time after time, for no lasting gain. Every time he gets it uphill, it escapes his grasp and rolls back to the bottom. Read more
New Zealand’s planning processes have been breaking Wright’s Law for too long. Yesterday’s resource management reform announcement goes some way to fixing things. Read more
It’s fair to say that economists like competition. It’s also fair to say that, when politicians start talking about competition, economists ought to get a little bit nervous. Read more
Imagine being part of a conservation society devoted to eradicating intrusive exotic animal pests. This year, the society will work in a large range where rabbits are ruining the hillsides, plentiful possums have been eating everything, and someone thinks they might have seen a wallaby. Read more