Podcast: New Zealand's fairy godmother

New Zealanders have been spending a lot more overseas than we have been earning overseas, yet our balance does not move in the same direction nearly as much. Oliver talks to Bryce about his latest research note "The mystery of the $52 billion gift: Does New Zealand have a fairy godmother?". Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich
Dr Bryce Wilkinson
19 March, 2024

Balancing progress and prudence

The Coalition Government has introduced the Fast-Track Approvals Bill as part of its broader efforts to reform the Resource Management Act (RMA). The Bill aims to speed up decision-making for infrastructure and development projects with potential for substantial regional and national economic benefits. Read more

Insights Newsletter
15 March, 2024
Research Note NIIP Final Cover with outline

The mystery of the $52 billion gift: Does New Zealand have a fairy godmother?

This research note questions how New Zealand has managed to sustain its large and growing current account deficits with the rest of the world without seeing a corresponding deterioration in its net international investment position (NIIP). It highlights that while New Zealand has been spending more overseas than it earns, the country’s liabilities to the rest of the world have not increased nearly as much as one would expect. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson
14 March, 2024

The problem with the vice-chancellor’s ‘free speech’ column

In a column that appeared in The Post on 23 February, Victoria University of Wellington Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith criticizes the coalition's commitment to have universities adopt a free speech policy. Smith notes that ACT Party leader david seymour ‘has previously criticised universities for declining to host certain speakers and argued the institutions should lose funding if they don't “protect free speech.”' The vice-chancellor then states that ‘one inference of all this is that anyone who wants to speak on campus should be able to do so.' But it wouldn't actually be valid to infer from Seymour's criticisms of recent deplatformings at New Zealand universities that he thinks that ‘anyone who wants to speak on campus should be able to do so.' You can, of course, think that Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas was wrong to prevent Don Brash from speaking to a student politics club in August 2018 (for example) and at the same time recognize that random people can't simply turn up at a university without an invitation and expect to get a hearing. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston
Dr James Kierstead
Kiwiblog
14 March, 2024
NIIP website thumbnail

Media Release: The Mystery of the $52 Billion Gift: Does New Zealand have a fairy godmother?

Wellington (Thursday, 14 March 2024) - A new research note by The New Zealand Initiative is questioning how New Zealand has managed to sustain its large and growing current account deficits with the rest of the world without seeing a corresponding deterioration in its net international investment position (NIIP). The research note, “The Mystery of the $52 Billion Gift: Does New Zealand have a fairy godmother?” highlights that while New Zealand has been spending more overseas than it earns, the country’s liabilities to the rest of the world have not increased nearly as much as one would expect. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson
14 March, 2024
policy point fast track

Policy Point: Fast-Track Approvals Bill

On 7 March 2024, the Coalition Government introduced a Fast-Track Approvals Bill. Its purpose is to ‘provide a streamlined decision-making process to facilitate the delivery of infrastructure and development projects with significant regional or national benefits’.1 The Bill is a key aspect of the Government’s programme for Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform.2 It is part of the National and New Zealand First coalition agreement and a key component of the Government’s 100-Day Plan. Read more

13 March, 2024

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