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As American lawyer and politician Gideon J. Tucker put it, “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.” Tucker’s law generally holds true, but there are rare exceptions. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 19 October 2021) – Today, the Government took a significant step toward restoring housing affordability. The New Zealand Initiative enthusiastically welcomed the announcement, supported by Labour and National, of a broad upzoning across urban centres where housing is terribly unaffordable. Read more
In 1996, Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash highlighted the political importance of speed in the 1980s reform agenda. Drawing on an earlier speech by Sir Roger Douglas, he noted that “opponents’ fire is much less accurate if they have to shoot at a rapidly moving target.” Policy over the past two years have moved at similar pace, but rather less coherently, and in the middle of a global pandemic that also requires at least some minor attention from the ministries. Read more
They say you can’t fight City Hall. And pity the developer who tries. Read more
House prices have risen to all-time highs. According to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, prices have risen by 30.6 percent in the last year. Read more
Ben Craven talks to New Zealand Initiative Senior Fellow Dr David Law about the implications of rising inflation, and how a different type of mortgage could make it more affordable to get on the housing ladder. 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
A Berkeley professor once said that if you are Minister of the Environment, you are eventually Minister of Everything. The professor’s prediction is set to become real if the government’s Natural and Built Environments Act, or “NBA,” passes in anything like its current form. Read more
When Judith Collins and Julie-Anne Genter argue about expensive Auckland transport projects, I worry that they’re both right about the problems in the other’s preferred alternative. And it points to the need for better ways of deciding on transport investments. Read more
Dear International Olympic Committee, Please find attached our bid to host the 2036 Olympics Games in Wellington. We noticed that at US$25 billion, Tokyo Olympics are the most expensive Games ever. Read more
What happens to even the best juggler when ball after ball is added to his load? Sooner or later, collapse is inevitable. Read more
