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James Shaw’s State of the Planet speech called for a new economic model – sustainability economics – to meet environmental and equity challenges ahead. While his call comes from the left, it reminded me of earlier criticisms of mainstream economics from the right. Read more
It’s too easy to take things for granted. In Monty Python’s classic Life of Brian, John Cleese’s Reg asked what the hated Romans had ever done for the people of Judea – and was rather annoyed to hear a long list of things like medicine, sanitation, education, wine, irrigation and more. Read more
The last time I wrote for Interest about the road toll was in October. At the time, Police were predicting 60 further deaths for 2017. Read more
Wellington (16 January 2018): The New Zealand Initiative's Sam Warburton says that Jordan Williams of the Taxpayers’ Union has overlooked bigger problems in transport funding in his claim that the National Land Transport Fund be limited only to roads. “Apart from the contribution public transport can make to alleviating congestion, what Mr Williams’ argument misses is that much National Land Transport Fund expenditure is matched almost dollar-for-dollar by ratepayers,” said Warburton. Read more
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) admitted errors in its report on the economic benefits of hosting the America's Cup in Auckland. Its initial cost-to-benefit ratio estimate was between 1.8 and 1.2, meaning benefits would outweigh cost by between 80 and 20 percent. Read more
The government has launched a new $22.5 million plan to keep motorists safer on rural highways. Sam Warburton speaks with Mike Hosking about this plan. Read more
Mike Hosking interviews Bryce Wilkinson about Treasury’s Living Standards Framework. It's part of a Government plan to show how many children have been lifted out of poverty in next May's budget. Read more
The coalition Government says about 384,000 families will be better off by $75 a week under its families package. It's estimated 88,000 children's lives will be turned around by the flagship policy which will cost $5.5 billion over the next five years. Read more
Voltaire wrote that one great use of words is to hide our thoughts. I remembered this when Grant Robertson said the tax working group would improve “fairness” in the tax system. Read more
Voltaire's satirical 1759 novella, Candide, contrasted ‘head-in-the-clouds’ complacency about this being the best of all possible worlds, despite its blemishes, with ‘feet-on-the-ground’ realism. Viewed loftily, New Zealand’s regulations look blissfully benign. Read more