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Last week, the Helen Clark Foundation and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research released a joint report (the HCF&NZIER report) calling for a higher minimum wage to reduce inequality and lift productivity. The minimum wage increased from $17.70 to $18.90 in April of this year. Read more
In this Quick Take episode, David Law responds to a joint paper released by Helen Clark Foundation and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research about the minimum wage. David reveals why raising the rate makes little economic sense at the best of times, and terrible sense during a recession. Read more
Wellington, 3 December 2020 - Calls to lift the minimum wage will not fix inequality and could end up hurting the most vulnerable – particularly during a recession, according to a new report by the New Zealand Initiative. The report is a response to a joint paper released last week by the Helen Clark Foundation and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research which suggested lifting the minimum wage (presently set at $18.90) to a “living wage” of $22.10, among other proposals. Read more
One of the shortest jokes about economics goes like this: Teach a parrot to say supply and demand, and you have created an economist. But there is an even better joke: Teach a parrot to say demand and demand, and you have created a politician. Read more
The holiday season always brings the requisite warnings about the summer road toll. Drive to the conditions, and the faster the speed, the bigger the mess. Read more
In this Quick Take episode, Bryce Wilkinson questions the wisdom behind many of the Reserve Bank’s latest interventionist moves and worries New Zealand could be repeating mistakes of the past. If you would like to listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
Thanks for tuning in to the New Zealand Initiative’s Freely Speaking podcast where the style is casual, the topics are important and the brakes are off. In this episode, around the table is executive director Oliver Hartwich, chief economist Eric Crampton, senior fellow Bryce Wilkinson and chief editor Nathan Smith. Read more
It sounds so easy: If waiting on a Covid-19 test, stay home. It’s probably just a cold, but the costs if it isn’t are high. Read more
In a year of bad news, the past few weeks were a welcome exception. Pfizer’s announcement of a potentially effective Covid-19 vaccine opens a path back to normal life. Read more
Rumours of a merger between the Reserve Bank and the Property Council have been greatly exaggerated. The Bank will need no help to do whatever it takes to keep Auckland homeowners safe from any dip in property prices. Read more