NZQA would like help deciding what excellence means. The trouble is, too many students have been achieving it. Read more
The Prime Minister has ruled out a wealth tax so long as he is leader of the Labour Party. The promise may have been driven by recent polling, but it is sound economics nevertheless. Read more
Experimental psychology was a bit wild in the 1960s. Scientists would run experiments on beagles, giving them painful shocks. Read more
According to American folklore, Irish gold miners were notorious for striking it lucky. Yet, historian Edward O’Donnell claims the phrase ‘The luck of the Irish’ comes with a hint of derision. Read more
Sometimes, a debate over the school curriculum gets so heated, it is dubbed a ‘curriculum war’. A new draft science curriculum has been the subject of a national conversation over the past week or so. Read more
There are no silver bullets in housing and infrastructure policy. Too many separate problems compound, resulting in a severe housing shortage and some of the world’s least affordable housing. Read more
Wellington (Tuesday, 11 July 2023) – The New Zealand Initiative’s new report suggests better tools for infrastructure funding and financing. Chief economist Dr Eric Crampton argues infrastructure funding and financing are a root cause of New Zealand’s housing shortage. Read more
In this week’s podcast, Dr Eric Crampton continues his conversation with Professor Rhema Vaithianathan from Auckland University of Technology. This fascinating discussion tackles the world of data integration within social services, and critiques past failures, citing a need for real-life stories rather than cold, hard data. Read more
It’s a sad running gag that the best way for a Kiwi to get noticed at home is to be successful abroad. The keynote lecture at this year’s New Zealand Economics Association conference was downright depressing. Read more
Join us this week on the New Zealand Initiative podcast! Our host, Dr Eric Crampton chats with Professor Rhema Vaithianathan from Auckland University of Technology. Read more
The New Zealand Economics Association annual meetings are a great way of keeping abreast of what the country’s economists are working on. And sometimes they’re downright depressing. Read more
In an increasingly tumultuous geopolitical landscape, New Zealand's role on the international stage is increasing in importance. New Zealand, along with many others, has been invited to attend next week’s 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. Read more
Background Yesterday the Treasury hosted a seminar on New Zealand’s lagging productivity growth rate. It shared the slot with the New Zealand Productivity Commission (NZPC) and Motu, a Wellington-based research institute. Read more
Michael Laws talks to the NZ Initiative’s Michael Johnston about the controversial new science curriculum.
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Seeking Ireland’s secrets Few countries feel so similar as New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. We are both island nations with much larger neighbours. Read more