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 the 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
Last week, New Zealand’s Reserve Bank (RBNZ) cut interest rates to 3.0 percent. The government was quick to take the credit. Read more
“Artificial unintelligence more like it.” So declared a reader of The Australian after one of my recent columns on artificial intelligence. Another chimed in with this observation: ‘AI can NOT work out what is a Spam or Phishing E-Mail, something that a human can do at just a glance.’ I stared at these comments, genuinely bewildered. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to James Keirstead about his latest research report "Amazing Grades" which provides the first systematic analysis of grade inflation across all New Zealand universities. They discuss how A-grades have increased by 13 percentage points over two decades, reaching 35% of all grades awarded, and explore potential solutions including statistical moderation systems and national examinations to restore meaningful academic standards. Read more
In this webinar, we launch our new report Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities. Author Dr James Kierstead presents key findings on rising grades across NZ’s universities, joined by commentary from Professor Douglas Elliffe. Read more
The Western order that has long underpinned global prosperity is cracking. Not dramatically. Read more
In this episode, Benno Blaschke talks to Oliver Hartwich about the recent Trump-Putin meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, where Trump appeared to abandon the Western position of seeking a ceasefire first in favour of Putin's demand for an immediate "peace deal" that would cement Russian territorial gains. They discuss the troubling implications of Trump applauding Putin on arrival, the bizarre shared ride in the presidential limousine, and how this summit signals a dangerous shift from rules-based international order to great power politics that could embolden other territorial aggressors, particularly China. Read more
Michelle Shocked’s 1988 song “Anchorage” tells of old friends whose lives diverged. One settled in Alaska with husband and kids, the other remained a punk rocker in New York. Read more
At the Initiative, we read the latest economic research, so you do not have to. Sometimes we find studies that are clever. Read more
The latest New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll makes for remarkable reading. If an election were held tomorrow, the country might have a hung Parliament. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Adelle Keely, Chief Executive of Acumen, about the Initiative's delegation to the Netherlands. They explore the country's remarkable approach to challenges, uncovering how Dutch culture of collaboration, technological innovation, and pragmatic problem-solving offers profound insights for New Zealand's future development and national thinking. Read more
Correction – 6 August 2025 A previous version of this press statement did not accurately describe how some vehicles, including electric vehicles, already pay Road User Charges (RUC). The statement below is the corrected version. Read more
In this episode, Oliver Hartwich talks to Michael Johnston about the government’s proposal to replace New Zealand’s National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) after more than two decades. They discuss how the current system, with its fragmented assessments and focus on collecting credits, has weakened learning. Read more
When NATO was founded in 1949, Europe and America worked as genuine partners. Sure, the Europeans needed American security guarantees more than Washington needed another military commitment. Read more
“These days, ESG means Energy, Security and Geostrategy.” René van Vlerken, CEO of Euronext Amsterdam, was explaining to our delegation how Europe’s largest stock exchange operator had expanded sustainable investing orthodoxy. He was matter-of-fact about this remarkable shift. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Professor Barbara Oakley about her six-month stint as a visiting senior fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, marking her farewell to her time here in New Zealand. Reflecting on her work here, Barbara shares insights into education, discussing the challenges of student-centred learning, her work with the Initiative, and the video project she's created with Michael Johnston to help transform teaching approaches. Read more
