Pharmac is often criticised for not funding enough new medicines and for being too slow to determine which ones it will fund. However, being slow and focused is not proof of being too slow or too focused. Read more
The country’s newspapers have been arguing that tech platforms, like Facebook and Google, should be paying them whenever they link to news. They should be careful what they wish for. Read more
A new report finds New Zealand universities have the highest ratio of non-academics to academics amongst English-speaking countries. The report, from the think tank The New Zealand Initiative, finds there are 40 to 50 per cent more managers and administrators than teaching staff. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton spoke to Radio Waatea about how providing a universal weekly payment would be less expensive for the government than eliminating the GST on food.
Read here
Read more
Public webinar: Blessing or Bloat? Non-academic staffing in New Zealand universities in comparative perspective New Zealand universities are in crisis. Read more
There is plenty of room for honest disagreement on economic policy. Normally, it’s about trade-offs among worthy goals. Read more
‘Administrative bloat’ – the idea that universities have too many administrators – is hot topic in debates around higher education in the US and elsewhere. Is there a similar problem in New Zealand universities? Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 1 August 2023) – The New Zealand Initiative’s report Blessing or Bloat? Non-Academic Staffing in New Zealand Universities in Comparative Perspective, co-authored by Drs James Kierstead and Michael Johnston shows that a majority of staff at New Zealand universities are non-academics. Read more
Nights regular and chief economist with The New Zealand Initiative, Eric Crampton, talks to Mark about the removal of GST from food and how we fund infrastructure.
Listen here Read more
New research has uncovered how many university staff are working in non-academic roles. The New Zealand Initiative study found there are up to 50 percent more non-academics than academics. Read more
Sean Plunket talks to Oliver Hartwich from the NZ Initiative - Is New Zealand shutting up shop?
Watch here Read more
This submission in response to Auckland’s Future Development Strategy is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative), a Wellington-based think tank supported primarily by major New Zealand businesses. In combination, our members employ more than 150,000 people. Read more
Politicians are naturally drawn to top-down solutions. For one thing, they afford Ministers the illusion of control. Read more
New Zealand prides itself on being an open trading nation. When it comes to trade in goods and services this claim is certainly true. Read more
Everyone knows that Wellington’s CBD will thrive when those who know best ban cars. People will love coming into the CBD to buy bulky products, such as a microwave, to cart home on the handlebars of their bicycles. Read more