If one word could sum up 2024, “sobering” might be it. This week’s final economic data for the year – from Treasury’s half-year update to yesterday’s GDP numbers – reads like the opposite of a Christmas wish list. Read more
Academic freedom is a hot topic at the moment. The coalition agreement required universities to have academic freedom policies to receive government funding. Read more
The New Zealand Treasury's latest forecasts and the Government's Budget Policy Statement (BPS) are disquieting. Public debt management looks lax and possibly illegal, government spending entrenches excess rather than tackles it, and productivity growth measures are welcome but piecemeal. Read more
One week after the American election, Trump-advisor Elon Musk tweeted a 2023 video outlining Trump’s plans for higher education. Trump is erratic. Read more
