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Why should we care about the size of government? There are many reasons to be concerned, but the most obvious answer is that high levels of government spending and taxation suppress economic performance, which is the basis of material living standards. Read more

David Green explains why poverty studies based on expenditure or consumption are superior to those based on income. He argues that a more fundamental objection to many studies of poverty is that they divert attention from the more serious problems of welfare dependency and diminished personal responsibility. Read more

The NZBR welcomes the opportunity to make this submission on the Issues Paper released by the Tax Review in June 2001. We consider the Issues Paper is a high quality document that sets out the principles that should guide tax policy development in a sound manner, clearly identifies the implications of applying those principles to the reform of the tax base, eco-taxation, tax rates, entity taxation, international tax and the tax treatment of savings and provides interested parties with an opportunity to comment on the Review's preliminary thoughts on options for reform. Read more

In our view the measures proposed in the Draft Report represent a major potential setback for the telecommunications industry in New Zealand. They could seriously deter further investment in facilities by those who have made the greatest investments in New Zealand. Read more

The issue of the best monetary arrangement for New Zealand was debated extensively at the end of the 1980s. The resulting Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act 1989 and the relatively light-handed regulation of the commercial banking sector were regarded by many economists as among the major achievements of the New Zealand institutional reform process of the 1980s and early 1990s. Read more

Statistics produced by Stern Stewart and the ANZ Bank on the destruction of shareholder value by New Zealand companies have attracted widespread publicity. They reinforce widespread anti-business sentiments.[1] One business magazine has interpreted them as a condemnation of "our scandalous management". Read more

In general we consider the discussion paper is competent and sound. Our main criticism is its failure to highlight in chapter 5 the need to avoid imposing changes to offer back and related conditions that would have retrospective effect. Read more

Describing the shift in the New Zealand public sector from administrative controls to a performance-driven system, this book analyses the evolution of public sector management, its current state and areas for improvement. It offers a rich menu of ideas and experiences for any country determined to improve public management, including lessons from the successes and failures of the New Zealand reformers. Read more

This submission responds to the discussion document Reshaping New Zealand's Appeal Structure (December 2000), referred to below as 'the discussion document'. The document appears to take it as a forgone conclusion that appeals to the Privy Council will be abolished and implies that discussion is only required as to the new appeals system. Read more

The primary purpose of the tax system is to finance government expenditure. The level of government spending generally provides the best overall measure of the tax burden. Read more