Oliver is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative. Before joining the Initiative, he was a Research Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney, the Chief Economist at Policy Exchange in London, and an advisor in the UK House of Lords. Oliver holds a Master’s degree in Economics and Business administration and a PhD in Law from Bochum University in Germany.
Oliver is available to comment on all of the Initiative’s research areas.
Phone: +64 4 499 0790
There is something tragic about watching the United States deliberately harm itself – especially when the damage spills over to everyone else. President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ trade tariffs are a disaster for America and the world. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich interviews the New Zealand Initiative's newest recruit, Benno Blaschke, exploring his extraordinary journey from his Austrian upbringing to becoming passionate about urban economics and housing affordability in New Zealand. They discuss Benno's unique background spanning contemplative practice, academic study, and public service roles before joining the Initiative to contribute to solving housing challenges through economic frameworks rather than continuing in the bureaucracy. Read more
One of the pleasures of my job as Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative is hosting events with Ministers explaining their new policies to our members. Last week, we hosted Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden at our annual retreat. Read more
Last November, Germany’s “traffic light” coalition collapsed and snap elections were called for February 2025. I dutifully registered to vote as a German living abroad. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich interviews Dr Prabani Wood, who has worked as a GP in New Zealand for 15 years and discusses her report "The Heart of Healthcare," advocating for greater recognition of primary care's value in New Zealand's healthcare system. Dr Wood explains how continuous GP-patient relationships improve health outcomes and reduce costs, while highlighting challenges facing general practice including the inadequate capitation funding model and antiquated systems. Read Dr Prabani Wood's research note "The Heart of Healthcare: Renewing New Zealand's Primary Care System" here. Read more
Winning an election can still mean losing control. This paradox is playing out in Germany right now. Read more
his week, the Government unveiled its blueprint to replace the Resource Management Act. This is not just another policy tweak – it is a game-changer for New Zealand’s economy. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 1.1 This submission on Question 12 of the Inland Revenue issues paper Taxation and the not-for-profit sector is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. Read more
Almost two decades ago, I published my first journalistic article. It was a short piece on the nature of money, inspired by Roland Baader, a German economist and student of Nobel laureate Friedrich Hayek. Read more
Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Michael Pezzullo, former Secretary of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, for The New Zealand Initiative’s podcast. Pezzullo gave a stark assessment of the security challenges facing Australia and New Zealand in the Indo-Pacific region. Read more
This webinar discusses policy initiatives to strengthen vocational education pathways in New Zealand. Drawing inspiration from Germany's successful dual-training model, Josh Williams and Dr Michael Johnston discuss initiatives in secondary and tertiary education to enhance the status and quality of trades and industry training. Read more
Donald Trump’s February call with Vladimir Putin over Ukraine’s future marked the end of the post-war order. His promised visit to Moscow and Putin’s planned trip to Washington herald a new era of raw power politics. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich interviews Michael about his new research report "Trade Routes," which examines how New Zealand can improve its apprenticeship system by adopting elements of Germany's dual education model. They discuss the stark contrast between Germany's highly respected apprenticeship system (with 50% participation) and New Zealand's underdeveloped approach (with just 6% participation), along with Michael's practical recommendations for creating clearer pathways from secondary school to industry training. Read more
Geopolitics offers no shortage of distractions. Ukraine peace negotiations lurch forward then stall. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich and former Australian Department of Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo discuss growing regional security threats, with Pezzullo warning of a 10-20% chance of conflict with China while advocating for an integrated ANZAC military force. Pezzullo argues that New Zealand should reconsider its anti-nuclear stance to join AUKUS as a full partner, increase its defence spending beyond the current 1.2% of GDP, and recognise that "if Australia goes down, New Zealand is next" - emphasising that both countries need a unified approach to territorial defence in an increasingly unstable Indo-Pacific region. Read more