“On April 2nd, reciprocal tariffs kick in,” declared President Donald Trump in his recent address to Congress. With these words, he signalled not merely a policy shift but the end of globalisation as we have known it. Read more
It isn’t the congestion charging scheme that I would have most-preferred. But the best congestion charging scheme is the one that can get across the line and enjoy durable political support, so long as it can work. Read more
Late last year, online newsmagazine The Spinoff asked the usual suspects for their one-sentence summary of the year ahead. I stole a line from Gramsci, or at least a paraphrased version of it. Read more
Some see Ukraine’s fight as a defining battle for freedom. Others dismiss it as a reckless provocation. Read more
If you read this as we send out this newsletter, we are just preparing to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) delegation visiting Wellington for their biennial Article IV consultation. The IMF conducts these comprehensive economic assessments of its member countries every two years. Read more
New Zealand has a reputation of being a country of risk-taking innovators, from bungy jumping to Zorbing. Some ideas may be better than others, but Kiwi entrepreneurs thrive or fail depending on whether customers like their idea. Read more
As someone who is fond of a tipple but who is also unhealthily health-conscious, I’ve long tried to keep up with news on the science of alcohol and health. My main response has been mild bemusement, as booze has been declared to be not so good for you, then actually pretty good for you, and – more recently – Very Much Not Good for You At All. Read more
New Zealand has one of the world’s most centralised governments. Centralisation has some advantages. Read more
The Kremlin’s poisoning of democratic discourse has reached New Zealand. What would once have seemed unthinkable is now plain to see: Russian propaganda narratives have infiltrated our public debate, even on this distant shore. Read more
Donald Trump rode to office pledging to “drain the swamp,” fight runaway bureaucracy, and defend ordinary Americans against elite-driven progressivism. In a world of “woke” excess and activist courts, these promises resonated deeply with conservatives who believe in smaller government, individual liberty, and strong national defence. Read more
Sir Geoffrey Palmer’s critique in the December New Zealand Law Journal of my report, Who Makes the Law? Reining in the Supreme Court,i is remarkable in what it fails to address.ii Rather than engaging with the substantive constitutional arguments about concerning trends in our highest court’s jurisprudence, his response amounts to ‘nothing to see here, trust the judges.’ More remarkably still, he resorts to ad hominem argument, suggesting critics can be dismissed as simply serving business interests. Read more
How should the government fund the billions more dollars needed to improve New Zealand’s infrastructure, boost defence spending and much else? It must be done by some combination of cutting other spending, raising taxes, borrowing, or selling assets. Read more
Much of my work for The New Zealand Initiative is on local government. I am interested in how local government can contribute to a growing economy. Read more
Every student of game theory knows that madness can have its advantages. If your enemy believes you will retaliate, regardless of the cost to yourself, they may think twice before crossing you. Read more
Imagine if your household owned a share in many valuable things - houses, businesses, forests, and more - worth about $275,000. But the income you were getting was meagre. Read more