Last week the government announced a comprehensive review of the country's Workplace Health and Safety regulation. There are good reasons for it to do so. Read more
New technology typically inspires both utopian dreams and dystopian fears. AI is a salient example of this optimism-pessimism dichotomy. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich interviews Senior Fellow Michael Johnston about his report Welcome to the Machine: The opportunities and risks of generative Artificial Intelligence for Education. Special guest Professor Barbara Oakley also joins their discussion. Read more
It is about 18 months since the release of Chat-GPT, the first widely available ‘large-language’ artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot. Even in that time, the capabilities of AI have massively improved. Read more
How New Zealand funds and finances infrastructure is a billion-dollar question. In Budget 2024, the Government forecasts that more than $68 billion will be spent on infrastructure over the next five years – a significant capital investment in roads, rail and other projects. Read more
The other day, I popped into a café in Wellington for my usual flat white. As I waited for my coffee, I noticed a selection of nut packages on display. Read more
Alcohol policy is always contentious – but let’s start with something that should be uncontroversial: If the government wants to reduce alcohol-related harm, it should aim for measures that do more good than harm overall. If a harm-reducing policy stacks up, it does so whether the overall social cost of alcohol is $10 billion, $1 billion, or $100 million. Read more
When Guyon Espiner reported on a police estimate of ‘$7.8b harm from booze’, I was curious whether the figure was the old BERL alcohol cost zombie back again from the dead to torment the living. The BERL number included drinkers’ spending on their own alcohol – not a ‘social cost’ by any reasonable standard. Read more
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12.00 PM, MONDAY 17 JUNE Wellington (Monday, 17 June 2024) - A new report from The New Zealand Initiative calls for a science-based approach to using artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms. This will help schools get the most out of AI while reducing risks to teaching and learning. The report, Welcome to the Machine: Opportunities and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Education, written by Senior Fellow Dr Michael Johnston, will help educators and policymakers navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education. Read more
This report calls for a science-based approach to using artificial intelligence (AI) in classrooms. This will help schools get the most out of AI while reducing risks to teaching and learning. Welcome to the Machine: Opportunities and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Education, written by Senior Fellow Dr Michael Johnston, will help educators and policymakers navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of AI in education. Read more
In his key work, Machiavelli warned his Prince, “there is nothing more difficult to plan, more doubtful of success, nor dangerous to manage than the creation of a new system. For the initiator has the enmity of all who would profit by the preservation of the old institution and merely lukewarm defenders in those who would gain by the new one.” Machiavelli’s words could describe David Seymour’s predicament as he sets out on his bold quest to reestablish Charter Schools. Read more
Wellington (Friday, 14 June 2024) - The New Zealand Initiative warmly welcomes the government’s review of health and safety regulation. “Current rules impose enormous compliance costs often for little safety benefit. Read more
Political strategists are obsessed with the art of winning elections. However, they sometimes overlook the equally impressive skill of losing them spectacularly. Read more
At The New Zealand Initiative, we have long advocated a more welcoming stance towards foreign direct investment (FDI). Our research has consistently shown that New Zealand needs foreign capital to boost growth, and that our restrictive FDI rules have been a major barrier to attracting overseas investment. Read more
In this podcast, Nick and Eric talk to Sam Broughton and Simon Randall from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) about the potential for implementing city and regional deals in New Zealand - formal long-term partnerships between central and local government to better plan and fund local infrastructure and economic development. They explore the benefits such deals could provide, like aligning incentives, enabling tailored local policies, and sharing gains, while also examining the political barriers that need to be overcome. Read more
