Local government reform has turned into a numbers game. The government’s ‘Head Start’ asks how many councils we should have, and where the lines between their jurisdictions should be drawn. Read more
Choice, competition and open markets provide strong consumer protection. The risk that a customer might shift to a competitor, or to another type of product entirely, provides discipline. Read more
Victoria University of Wellington wants the teachers it trains to be ‘agents of change.’ According to the university’s handbook for teacher education programmes, teaching graduates must be committed to “social, cultural, and ecological justice.” Decoded, that means attending protests about political causes the activists lecturers find important. Providing teachers with skills to manage a classroom is not part of the brief. Read more
Small countries in a big world can choose to be nimble or they can choose to be stupid. When it comes to medicines, New Zealand has chosen the second path. Read more
National promises that, if re-elected, it will make KiwiSaver compulsory. The case for compulsion is weaker than most assume. Read more
As a former academic, I know how onerous research publication can be. Before being published in a professional journal, an article must undergo peer review. Read more
We have a new colleague at The New Zealand Initiative. Our latest senior fellow is Major General John Howard, retired. Read more
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) pays for the care and recovery of people hurt in accidents. It covers your treatment and some of your lost wages. Read more
New Zealanders who visit psychologists would expect their clinical conversations to be private and confidential. But a draft Code of Ethics from the New Zealand Psychologists Board (NZPB), the professional body that registers practising psychologists, would weaken the privacy rights of Māori clients. Read more
Meridian wanted to replace older wind turbines with a smaller number of more efficient ones at the Tararua Range near Palmerston North. The consenting authority first required Meridian to spend three months searching for a lamprey. Read more
The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) exists to mend people. If you are hurt in an accident, the scheme pays for your care and some of your lost wages. Read more
From 1 July, the start of the new fiscal year, Health New Zealand will stop paying charges to the Crown for the capital that it uses. The Ministry calls it a technical change, with no effect on patient care, infrastructure, or the money available for services. Read more
A sense of dread has settled over schools and universities. A machine can now read in an afternoon what a scholar could not finish in a lifetime. Read more
Most people carry a comforting picture of government. They may have no time for politicians, for sure. Read more
Christchurch's SpicyBoys make hot sauce. They’ve branched out into a chilli gin to sell alongside the sauce. Read more