Reports & Media

The Treasury is consulting on changes to the Natural Hazards Insurance Levy – formerly known as the EQC levy. The NZ Herald’s Jenée Tibshraeny reports that the Treasury is considering increasing the Natural Hazards Commission’s cap from $345,000 to $460,000 while raising the levy by up to $400 a year to make up the difference. Read more

Everybody knows the dice are loaded. At least according to Canadian policy analyst Leonard Cohen. Read more

For many conservatives, Donald Trump’s return to the presidency brings hope. America’s institutions desperately needed disruption. Read more

The Finance and Expenditure Committee resumed its banking inquiry this week, with Committee members wanting to hear again from bank chiefs. The Committee is looking for answers about banking competition. Read more

The government has made increased competition a highlight of its economic growth agenda. So, one might have hoped that a targeted review of the Commerce Act would aim at the big problems blocking open and competitive markets. Read more

Panic ensued this week after it was revealed that young people have been going to summer music festivals, listening to music – and in some cases even getting drunk. As a report for RNZ revealed, there has been a crackdown on outdoor festivals all through the summer, with four postponed and another four cancelled outright. Read more

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he wants a bureaucracy that says “yes.” He is right to want that of course, but a lot of current rules would need to change. Under current rules, far too much is too hard. Read more

The Supreme Court’s decisions late last year in A, B and C v D and E Limited as Trustees of the Z Trusti (the Alphabet case) and Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (the Edwards case) v Ngāti Ira O Waiowekaii (the Edwards case) offer a striking study in contrasts. Both decisions have drawn attention for appearing to resist judicial overreach. Read more

When US President Donald Trump called Vladimir Putin on 12 February, he made history – but not in a good way. Following a 90-minute conversation, Trump announced he would meet Putin first in Saudi Arabia and then visit Moscow, while Putin would come to Washington. Read more