Wellington (14 November 2017): The New Zealand Initiative today announced that Barbara Chapman, Chief Executive and Managing Director of ASB Bank, has joined the think tank’s Board of Directors. “We are delighted Barbara has agreed to join our board,” said Roger Partridge, The New Zealand Initiative’s Chairman. Read more
With a new government comes opportunities to shake up a long-entrenched status quo. Nowhere is this more warranted than in our schooling sector where fundamental aspects need urgent reform. Read more
I’ve been encouraged by several signals from the new Government around transport. Ministers appear to have given transport much thought in opposition and are, in many ways, ahead of their agencies. Read more
New Zealand has always had to run a little faster than everyone else just to keep up. Too small to rely on its own internal markets, and too distant to profit from tight integration with larger neighbours, New Zealand has had to compete by being nimble. Read more
Which moves faster: technology, or the regulation that tries to keep up with it? New Zealand’s ability to adapt to new technology depends on whether our regulations can keep pace. Read more
My dad just refitted his small cottage kitchen. He is over 6ft tall, so wanted the worktops raised 6 inches, precluding his need to bend. Read more
Wellington (10 November 2017): “The TPP APEC talks in Vietnam today are reportedly 'down to the wire.' Yet while the TPP commentary focuses on trade, we should also learn about foreign direct investment from APEC host Vietnam,” says The New Zealand Initiative’s Senior Fellow Dr Bryce Wilkinson. “In 1997, Vietnam had the most restrictive FDI regime of all 45 countries measured by the OECD. Read more
As House of Cards is ending in sad circumstances, the TV series has a real-life successor. It is the New Zealand House of Representatives. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton introduces his latest report, Analog Regulation, Digital World. Read more
Wellington (9 November 2017): New Zealand will not only be small and distant from the rest of the world, but also years behind if regulations do not keep up with technological change. The New Zealand Initiative and InternetNZ today released their report Analog Regulation, Digital World on the state of regulation facing the technology sector. Read more
The Challenge. Which moves faster: technology, or the regulation that tries to keep up with it? Read more
On RadioLIVE, Dr Eric Crampton discusses his latest report Analog Regulation, Digital Regulation. He explains how New Zealand is doing on regulating for digital innovation and opportunity, and how we can all work together to make things better. Read more
Wellington (7 November 2017): As Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Trade Minister David Parker head for the APEC meeting and the East Asia Summit, The New Zealand Initiative welcomes the Government’s commitment to free trade agreements. But the think tank warns that New Zealand will likely fall further behind as a destination for foreign investment (FDI) if the Government pursues its policy intentions. Read more
Wellington (6 November 2017): Since becoming the Housing and Transport Minister, Mr Twyford has underlined his intention to simplify planning rules, abolish the rural urban boundary, let Auckland grow up and out, and move towards road pricing. Commenting on Phil Twyford’s statements, the Initiative’s Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich said: “The appointment of Phil Twyford as Housing and Transport Minister in the Labour-led government is a breath of fresh air. Read more
Idiocy comes in many forms. Some people choose not to vaccinate their children. Others think it better to extract multiple teeth from school children rather than have them drink fluoridated water. Read more