“We have lost clarity of how we add value, why we are here, what we exist for.” That was among the findings in an internal review prepared by the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA), obtained by Radio New Zealand (RNZ). But that statement could equally apply to New Zealand as a whole. Read more
A major part of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s itinerary while in Europe this week included speaking at the NATO leaders’ summit in Spain. And what a good, powerful speech it was. Read more
In an article in the June 11-17 edition of the New Zealand Listener, speech-language therapist Karena Shannon argued that our education system over-values literacy and under-values oral language. Shannon correctly noted that oral language is “innate” in human beings, whereas literacy is “constructed”. Read more
John Law was a gambling, womanising, dualist, murderer and fugitive. He was also an economic visionary. Read more
It is a pity we hardly teach history anymore. Or economics. Read more
The last thing Europe needs right now is a war. Or, more precisely, another war. Read more
On Friday, 17 June, the American Food and Drug Administration approved the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children over the age of 6 months. The Centres for Disease Control recommended the vaccines the next day. Read more
Oliver Hartwich joins Mike Treen and Damien Grant on The Working Groups Weekly Political Podcast hosted by Martyn Bradbury. They discuss a range of issues including Roe vs Wade, Economic Recession vs Economic Depression and Jacinda in Europe. Read more
This submission in response to the Emissions Reduction Plan supports the Zero Carbon Act’s goal of attaining net zero by 2050. We urge a greater focus on the Emissions Trading Scheme, enabling carbon prices to do more of the work in getting New Zealand to Net Zero, and avoiding policies that put net zero at risk by forcing higher-cost emission reduction strategies. Read more
I always believed that Magna Carta left us with a most valuable inheritance: the right to trial by jury. Even after learning that legal historians now regard this assertion as fiction, I did so. Read more
Paul Bloxham, HSBC’s chief economist, once described New Zealand as a “rockstar economy”. That was back in January 2014. Read more
On Monday this week, the prime minister said she was optimistic that the economy would not shrink further in the second quarter. That would avoid New Zealand officially being in recession. Read more
In February, New Zealand’s PCR Covid testing system fell apart. The Ministry of Health, the Director-General of Health, and the Ministers should have known it would happen. Read more
Eric Crampton talks to Heather Du Plessis Allan, Newstalk ZB about why we should care that Labour gave NZTA officials less than 24 hours to come up with policy on the petrol excise duty discount.
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Democracy Action engaged Professor James Allan to review the He Puapua Report. The result of Professor Allan’s analysis - "The Report of Professor James Allan on He Puapua: The Radical Prescription for Undermining Democracy and the Rule of Law". Read more