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It was an odd sense of déjà vu this week as someone who lived in Christchurch until recently. The earthquake was hugely destructive and distressing for many. Read more

The issue of what to do with the 74,000 young New Zealanders who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) is a tricky one. Labour correctly pointed out in its conference how difficult and despairing it can be for young people in this situation and what a waste this represents to society. Read more

When I was a poor grad student, I made a lot of use of credit cards. Not having to pay for up to about 40 days after a purchase was awfully helpful when budgeting around lumpy scholarship payments. Read more

If you are familiar with The Adventures of Asterix, you probably remember the beginning: “The year is 50 BC. Gaul is entirely occupied by the Romans. Read more

1. Don’t like capitalism? Read more

The future is uncertain but that technology’s role will become more important is as safe a prediction as any. This was the key message in a talk by renowned futurologist Peter Cochrane to the Initiative this week. Read more

A back-to-basics approach is more important than fads when it comes to regional economic development. If rising house prices are not enough to make Wellington residents feel better about themselves, a recent article about the city’s vibrant economy and culture should do the trick. Read more

Departing MP Kevin Hague’s valedictory speech this week offered us this astute insight: "The economy is not some force of nature. It is a collection of tools that we can re-engineer to help us meet social goals." It is such a shame so few politicians view the economy in this way. Read more

New Zealand maintained its third place ranking in this year’s Economic Freedom of the World reports, but it’s hardly a place allowing markets in everything. And that can be costly. Read more