Reports & Media

Roger Partridge talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about his analysis of how New Zealand judges are returning gang patches to offenders despite Parliament's clear intention to ban them through the Gangs Act 2024. He argued that courts are overstepping their constitutional role by using judicial tools like the "principle of legality" and tikanga considerations to sidestep Parliament's democratically expressed will, undermining both the rule of law and democratic legitimacy. Read more

In this episode, James talks to Craig Mellare and Abdul Razeed, senior lecturers at the University of Sydney Business School, about their empirical study on grade inflation in Australian higher education. They discuss findings showing that grades have risen significantly over the past decade despite no improvement in student ability, and explore the institutional pressures driving this phenomenon including student evaluation systems, time constraints on academic staff, and the need to manage student appeals and expectations. Read more

RNZ Business News discussed Dr Oliver Hartwich's comments defending the Reserve Bank on their midday bulletin. He defended the Reserve Bank against scapegoating claims, arguing that the current government's single inflation mandate and expansionary fiscal policies have made monetary policy more challenging. Read more

Roger Partridge talked to Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB about the NZ Herald's Mood of the Boardroom survey, describing business leaders' sentiment as "grim" due to New Zealand's struggling economy and high cost of living. He called for greater bipartisanship on long-term economic issues like retirement savings and infrastructure, while noting that Trump's tariffs have significantly impacted CEO confidence despite the global community underestimating the reality of his trade policies. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich was featured on Newstalk ZB's news segments commenting on Reserve Bank independence. He argued that the government should let the Reserve Bank maintain its independence and focus on addressing inflation without political interference over interest rate decisions. Read more

Herald NOW mentioned Dr Oliver Hartwich on their news segment about the Reserve Bank governor appointment. He emphasised the importance of maintaining the Reserve Bank's independence and allowing it to focus on addressing inflation without political interference. Read more

Mike Hosking discussed the Initiative's report "Monetary policy without mates" on Newstalk ZB, agreeing with its argument that the Reserve Bank has been unfairly scapegoated for the current recession when it was simply doing its job of bringing inflation under control. He emphasised that the government's fiscal policy worked against the Reserve Bank's efforts, with Grant Robertson's spending forcing interest rates to stay higher for longer. Read more

Wellington (Monday, 22 September 2026) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has been unfairly scapegoated for the current recession when it was simply doing its job of bringing inflation under control, according to new research from The New Zealand Initiative. The research note, Monetary Policy Without Mates, reveals that while the RBNZ fought to tame inflation that peaked at nearly 8%, the government's fiscal policy worked against these efforts – forcing interest rates to stay higher for longer. Read more