MEDIA

Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB about the government's increased capital spending, describing it as "a relatively minor announcement" and "a drop in the government's ocean."

Dr Hartwich also discussed the potential for asset recycling, suggesting the government could sell state-owned companies in the energy sector and its Air New Zealand stake, and noted that the retention of the R&D tax credit provides certainty for businesses already using the scheme. Listen below Read more

John MacDonald on Newstalk ZB discussed the pros and cons of MMP, referencing the Initiative's analysis that proportional representation is a strength while voter understanding is a weakness. The Initiative's research from a 2020 report was cited, which found that fewer than half of voters understand the rules governing how parties gain parliamentary representation. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about the proposed social media ban for under-16s in Australia and similar potential legislation in New Zealand. Dr Crampton discussed the practical challenges of implementing such bans, explaining the "trilemma" of any potential implementation system having at least one undesirable property: either being easy for kids to circumvent, burdensome for adult users, or ending internet privacy. Read more

Mike Hosking highlighted Dr Oliver Hartwich's article in The Australian on Newstalk ZB, mentioning that the New Zealand Initiative's executive director compared Australia's current political situation to New Zealand's experience. Hosking described the piece as "well worth reading" where Dr Hartwich examined how Labour was "unceremoniously ejected" from power in New Zealand, concluding with reflections on democratic accountability as "both the frustration and the glory of democracy." Listen below. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton talked to Matt Heath and Tyler Adams on Newstalk ZB about the proposed social media ban for under sixteens in New Zealand. Dr Crampton discussed the mixed evidence on social media harms, the benefits for young people, and explained why implementing such a ban would inevitably create problematic trade-offs between ease of circumvention, adult user convenience, and online privacy. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Michael Laws on The Platform about New Zealand's unpreparedness for its rapidly ageing population. Dr Hartwich explained that regulatory barriers are preventing retirement villages from expanding quickly enough to meet demand, which could result in elderly patients overwhelming the hospital system. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB about New Zealand's excessive government structure, drawing on The New Zealand Initiative's report that criticises the country's 82 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers, and 41 departments as inefficient compared to countries like Norway and Ireland. He recommended reducing the number of ministers to 15-20 rather than the current 30, supporting David Seymour's proposal to slash cabinet and government departments. Read more

On his show Canterbury Mornings on Newstalk ZB, John MacDonald discussed David Seymour's criticism of New Zealand's government bureaucracy and Dr Oliver Hartwich's insights on streamlining the current system of 28 ministers to as few as 15-20. MacDonald agreed with both Seymour's description of the system as "a big, complicated bureaucratic beast" and Dr Hartwich's assessment that many portfolios are unnecessarily split, creating inefficient silos among the country's 82 portfolios and 41 government departments. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton spoke to Heather du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB about New Zealand's structural deficit, citing IMF figures that show it as "about the worst in the OECD" compared to GDP. He identified government spending growth to "well north of 30% of GDP" as the main issue and suggested potential cuts to pension programmes, health spending, and student loan subsidies. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton spoke to RNZ about reforming New Zealand's emissions credit system, arguing that payouts should be tied to international competitors' emissions rather than penalising local companies for reducing their carbon footprint. Listen below. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston spoke to Newstalk ZB supporting the new teaching mandates as "a good move" given New Zealand's longstanding literacy and numeracy challenges. Listen below. Read more

Wellington (Thursday, 24 April 2025) - The New Zealand Initiative strongly supports the Government's move to give industries more control over apprenticeships and training. "Minister Simmonds' announcement today addresses a key issue in our vocational education system," says Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. Read more

On Newstalk ZB, Trish Sherson discussed New Zealand's defence situation with reference to the Initiative's podcast featuring Dr Oliver Hartwich and former Australian Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo. Trish emphasised that New Zealand can no longer rely on geographical isolation for security and needs to mature in its approach to regional defence responsibilities. Read more

Dr Prabani Wood spoke to Michael Laws on The Platform about her latest report "The Heart of Healthcare: Renewing New Zealand's Primary Care System". Watch below. Read more

This webinar discusses policy initiatives to strengthen vocational education pathways in New Zealand. Drawing inspiration from Germany's successful dual-training model, Josh Williams and Dr Michael Johnston discuss initiatives in secondary and tertiary education to enhance the status and quality of trades and industry training. Read more