Germans have cast ballots to choose a successor to Angela Merkel. Oliver Hartwich, originally from Germany, speaks to Mike Hosking about the election results and what they could mean for Europe’s largest economy. Read more
Mike Hosking reviews and reads out part of Bryce Wilkinson's article (published in the NZ Herald) "How past illusions and future follies mar Grant Robertson's economic strategy." Hosking calls it today's "must read". In the article on his new report "Illusions of History: How misunderstanding the past jeopardises our future", Bryce warns that the government's economic policy settings risk a repeat of past mistakes. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 21 September 2021) – The 2.8 percent jump in GDP in the June quarter 2021 does not mean that the government’s economic strategy is sound. In fact, it is dangerous wishful thinking based on a false reading of history, according to a new research report from The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
On Newstalk ZB, Mike Hosking reviews Roger Partridge's latest NZ Herald article "Should the Ministry of Health be responsible for pandemic policy?" Roger highlights various studies that have called for a dedicated agency to manage New Zealand's pandemic response. The NZ Herald article "Should the Ministry of Health be responsible for pandemic policy? Read more
Mike Hosking reads out Roger Partridges' opinion piece (published in the NZ Herald) about why the Government can't drive covid strategy by looking backwards. Roger points out that looking back at what worked on the early part of the Covid journey may not help with what is in front of us now and looking backwards is a big part of New Zealand's current predicament. Read more
Eric Crampton talks to Wallace Chapman on Radio NZ - The Panel about a Universal Basic Income for young people to help them get started in life.
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Wellington (Friday, 27 August 2021): A new report by the New Zealand Initiative says personal budgets are a social services innovation that is creating new opportunities and changing how disabled Kiwis live. The report, titled The Power of Freedom: How personal budgets for social services are transforming lives, compares outcomes from traditional support services to the Individualised Funding (“IF”) model for disability support. Read more
Wellington (Monday, 23August 2021): Improving water quality requires more than short-term fixes, concludes a new report released today by the New Zealand Initiative. Any Government committed to improving New Zealand’s freshwater quality must build the institutions that can deliver it while withstanding changes in Government. Read more
Wellington (Wednesday, 18 August 2021): A review of last week’s blackout by Carl Hansen, the former Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority (EA), argues for a sober and careful analysis of why 35,000 consumers lost power for up to two hours on 9 August. In a research paper published today by the New Zealand Initiative, Mr Hansen states “It is essential the Government allows the independent market regulator to identify and address any problems found.” “It is also important the Opposition take a mature approach and resist the temptation to jump to conclusions and call for Ministerial heads to roll.” At 6:48pm, Transpower asked lines companies to reduce demand by 1%, and followed up this request with a formal notice at 7:09pm. Read more
Eric Crampton talks to Anna Thomas on Radio NZ Nights about heritage preservation, regulations and funding.
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The government faces increasing debt levels if it does not get the cost of an aging population under control. Eric Crampton talks to Wallace Chapman on Radio NZ - The Panel about Treasury's projections and whether the superannuation age should be raised. Read more
Oliver Hartwich talks about voting and decision making with Lynn Freeman on Radio NZ Smart Talk at the Wanaka 2021 Festival of Color.
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Roger Partridge talks to Mike Hosking on Breakfast about his new report that says our employment protection laws make it hard to fire poorly performing senior managers.
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A law change is needed to make it easier to dismiss highly paid staff who are underperforming. Roger Partridge discusses his new report with Wallace Chapman on Radio NZ - The Panel. Read more
Wellington (Monday, 21 June 2021): New Zealand's productivity growth is being hampered by employment protection laws that constrain boards and business owners from firing poorly performing senior managers, warns a report from The New Zealand Initiative. In Nothing Costs nothing: Why unjustified dismissal procedures should not apply to the highly paid, Initiative chair and senior fellow Roger Partridge found strong arguments for New Zealand adopting an Australian-style carve-out of high-income earners from the unjustified dismissal provisions of the Employment Contracts Act 2000. Read more