Trust in New Zealand is fracturing before our eyes. The 2025 Acumen Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a society divided by mistrust. Read more
Imagine asking a CEO to transform a struggling company but giving them just enough time to redecorate the office before facing shareholders again. This is essentially what we do with our three-year parliamentary terms. The Government's introduction of a Bill enabling a four-year term is a once in a generation opportunity for change. Read more
In this episode, Michael talks to Professor Barbara Oakley, a McGraw Prize recipient, New York Times bestselling author and creater of the world's largest Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with over 5 million students. They discuss evidence-based approaches to mathematics education and the problems with constructivist teaching methods, while outlining their mission to support New Zealand's new knowledge-rich curriculum through workshops for teachers across the country. 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
Following the early discovery of RNZ's 1996 time capsule beneath Parliament grounds, a frenzied competition has erupted. Government departments are desperate to cement their historical significance for future generations. 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
2024 has brought substantial progress in The New Zealand Initiative’s mission to build a more prosperous country. Our evidence-based policy recommendations have influenced reform across multiple sectors. Read more
New Zealand’s planning processes have been breaking Wright’s Law for too long. Yesterday’s resource management reform announcement goes some way to fixing things. 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
If for some ghastly reason you wanted to hit two birds, and you had two stones, trying to hit both birds with each stone would be pretty silly. You can throw both stones, so why not target things a bit more closely? Read more
In this episode, Eric talks to Patrick Phelps, Manager at Minerals West Coast, about the complex challenges of rural council governance including infrastructure costs, heritage regulations, and voter apathy. They discuss how small towns struggle with funding vital services across widely dispersed communities while managing political incentives that often lead to misplaced priorities and wasteful spending. 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
Last night, I found myself standing at St Peter’s Church for the “Red Tape Hui,” not to confess my economic sins, but to proselytise about the virtues of the prospective Regulatory Standards Bill. The event, hosted by Labour’s Greg O’Connor, MP for Ōhāriu and Assistant Speaker of the House, featured a panel including Dr Bryce Edwards from The Integrity Institute and Craig Renney from the Council of Trade Unions. 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
Each year, between 60 and 65 thousand young New Zealanders leave school. Around a third go to university. Read more