What is the purpose of televised leaders’ debates? Ideally, these staples of the political calendar should inform, educate and entertain. Read more
As we prepare for another election under the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system, it is worth noting that New Zealand is one of the few nations to have adopted this electoral model. The majority of countries still either opt for First-Past-the-Post or purely proportional systems. Another country that uses MMP is my native Germany. Read more
Elections are the classic zero-sum game. In a zero-sum game, one person’s gains are necessarily another’s losses. Read more
At the Initiative, we have consistently stood up for the rights of random bureaucrats to stop people making harmless choices in their everyday lives. That’s why we were strong supporters of John Key’s decision to ban pseudoephedrine from pharmacies. Read more
How big is the fiscal deficit problem and how long will it take for our governments to turn it around? Do not be fooled by rosy scenarios of painless correction. Read more
Political campaigns often hinge on promises, and the art of selling a vision for the future is a crucial skill for any politician. But what happens when that vision strays deep into the realm of fantasy? Read more
Retirement spending and the size of the public service as two obvious areas for expenditure cuts. Significant savings are available from the reform of retirement income policy. Read more
Imagine a typical New Zealand family. Every couple of weeks, the salary arrives in their bank account. Read more
History does rhyme, and apocalyptic plays can make a sobering point or two. This government is borrowing heavily to fund current spending. Read more
We all know what ‘déjà vu’ is: that eerie sensation that we’ve been here before – that we are reliving a moment — often unpleasant — from the past. Many New Zealanders experienced a sense of déjà vu listening to the government’s recent statements about the economy and fiscal forecasts. Read more
In a recent survey[1], New Zealand voters were asked to nominate the issue of most importance to them in the forthcoming election. Unsurprisingly, hip-pocket matters topped the list, with the cost of living on 28% and the economy on 17%. Read more
The ban on the only cold medicine that seems to work never seemed likely to work. On Friday, some twelve and a half years after John Key banned it, David Seymour announced that the ACT Party would work to restore over-the-counter access to pseudoephedrine-based cold medicines. Read more
Everyone knows the best rom-coms are built on love triangles. Think of Mark, Juliet and Peter from Love, Actually. Read more
The Bucket Fountain in Wellington’s Cuba Mall has long been the capital city’s iconic water feature. However, it seems that new competition is emerging. Read more
Here are a couple of highlights from the leaders’ debate last Tuesday evening: “That’s a good point, Christopher. Most economists do agree that selectively removing GST from fruit and vegetables is a dumb idea. Read more