Reports & Media

Replace the word London for Auckland and you could be forgiven for thinking that The Economist was writing a lament about housing affordability in New Zealand’s biggest city. In an article titled “Little London”, the magazine notes that soaring property prices are dragging on the city’s economy. Read more

History offers great value in learning. But sometimes its lessons are too difficult to understand and apply – even for those who have written the history books. Read more

History offers great value in learning. But sometimes its lessons are too difficult to understand and apply – even for those who have written the history books. Read more

Remember social bonds? Or Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) as they are known internationally? Read more

Many of New Zealand’s future surgeons, scientists and teachers are right now sitting in front of an adult charged with teaching them the skills and knowledge that will help them in their post-school careers. In this way, would it be far-fetched to conclude that teachers have one of the most important jobs in New Zealand? Read more

Donald Trump is a demagogue and a proud ignoramus. Knowing nothing of the detail of policy, even in its broadest take, would be bad enough. Read more

This was one of the main messages in The New Zealand Initiative's latest report on public health regulations. Shocking as it is. Read more

Nothing is worse than politicians running out of ideas. Or to say it in the famous words of Abraham Maslow, “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” In the case of politicians, the hammer is the power to tax and the nails are all the problems that are coming their way. Read more

The New Zealand Treasury has a vision. It is to be “a world-class Treasury working for higher living standards for New Zealanders”. Read more

In his book The Ascent of Money, Harvard economic historian Niall Ferguson introduced us to what he called “the perennial truths of financial history”. They were: “Sooner or later every bubble bursts. Read more

As German-American journalist and satirist H.L. Mencken once explained, “Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods”. Read more

Can you remember back to a time when fizzy drinks weren’t maligned, but instead a rare treat? When you and your eagle-eyed siblings watched over the soda pouring ritual with great intent, studiously making sure the levels were equal, and that no one was preferred (by so much as a drop)? Read more

Schools are labs and students are the subjects. Though this may sound controversial, behind closed doors teachers experiment on their students. Read more