It has to be the silliest game of Cluedo going. Who caused the cost of living to blow out? Read more
New Zealand was on the brink of an abyss. Its smug and reckless government had burdened the economy with top-down planning, lost control of public finances and created a crisis of confidence in the Kiwi dollar. Read more
New Zealand is standing at a historic crossroads. The 2023 election is not just another election; it is a turning point, a watershed moment for our nation’s future. Read more
One of the key themes that echoes through the 21 areas of public policy we cover in Prescription for Prosperity, is localism. We need to get central bureaucracy out of the way, so that local innovation can thrive. Read more
I’m a fan of prizes for rewarding innovation. Prizes motivate. Read more
Transport policy in New Zealand increasingly resembles an episode of Utopia, the Australian comedy series that lampoons a government agency responsible for large infrastructure projects. In one memorable episode, the hapless bureaucrats in the Nation Building Authority are instructed by a political staffer to investigate the feasibility of a “very fast train” connecting Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane despite reams of evidence suggesting it is a terrible idea. Read more
If everything had gone according to plan, this column would have been about the visit of the German foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, to New Zealand. That would have been appropriate as German ministers do not make it to this part of the world too often. Read more
Shakedown rackets are, thankfully, illegal. Except when government legislates them. Read more
In 1989, the Lange government implemented the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms. The old Department of Education was replaced by a new agency, the – initially – much leaner Ministry of Education. Schools became self-governing. Read more
Why does so much of the world speak English? As someone who was born in Canada, educated in the UK and US, and has now been living in New Zealand for more than a decade, the question has always fascinated me. Read more
Ingredients: 1 cup contradiction (finely chopped) 500 grams of voter polling (preferably gullible) 2 tablespoons of economic nonsense (no substitutes) A generous pinch of legal complexity A dash of ambiguity (to taste) A sprinkling of international tax quirks A heaped spoonful of political expediency Preparation: 1. Start with the contradictions: Begin by asserting that the policy will help low-income families. Read more
Election years rarely see the best economic policy ideas. It is easy enough to understand why. Read more
In New Zealand’s public policy circles these days, you cannot escape the buzz about Ireland. Whether in the corridors of power, at business gatherings, or even casual coffee catch-ups, Ireland is the talk of the town. Read more
When the magician on stage flamboyantly waves the handkerchief with his left hand, it’s generally a good idea to keep an eye on what’s going on with the other hand. And I’ve failed that test. Read more
The term etymology refers to the linguistic origin of a word. An etymological fallacy is committed when the meaning of a modern word is taken to be the same as that of an old word from which it derives. Read more