Reports & Media

The Government has announced they will confiscate councils’ three water assets, despite widespread opposition from mayors, councillors, and ratepayers. Ben Craven sits down with Oliver Hartwich, Matt Burgess and Eric Crampton to discuss what the proposals will mean for councils; the winners and losers; and why centralised control of water assets is not the answer to local water issues. Read more

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss his latest Newsroom column on a media funding scandal that has led to the resignation of centre-right Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The investigation has highlighted the dependency of Austrian media on government advertising, and the influence that funding can exert. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson and Emeritus Professor Gary Hawke join Ben Craven to discuss Bryce’s latest report, The Illusions of History: How misunderstanding the past jeopardises our future. The trio look at some of the prevailing myths of New Zealand’s economic history, and explain the risks of basing contemporary public policy on inaccurate stories of our past. Read more

It is not clear how the government’s Emissions Reduction Plan can reduce emissions. The government is proposing massive interventions in everything from energy to transport to manufacturing. Read more

How can New Zealand improve its Covid response? Dr Eric Crampton joins Ben Craven to talk about his latest research note Safer Arrivals and the Path to 2022. Read more

Matt Burgess joins host Ben Craven to discuss the government’s feebate policy which launches in April 2022. The policy is egregiously regressive. Read more

Germans went to the polls on Sunday to elect the first post-Angela Merkel government. Ben Craven talks to Oliver Hartwich about the results, who the winners and losers are, and what the next government could look like. Read more

In 2016, Australia agreed to purchase 12 conventionally powered Attack Class submarines from France. The deal cost AU$50 billion. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton speaks to Medicines New Zealand CEO Graeme Jarvis about therapeutic medicines that ca treat Covid-19, and when we might expect them to become available in New Zealand. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Dr David Law joins Ben Craven to discuss what we know about the Government’s plans for unemployment insurance, and what such a scheme could look like for New Zealanders. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

This week the price of a New Zealand Unit of carbon credit passed $50 for the first time. Ben Craven speaks to Matt Burgess about why this happened, and what the increase in price will mean for consumers, emitters, and New Zealand’s environmental commitments. Read more

Individualised Funding, or IF, is a funding model for disability support. IF gives money directly to individuals so they can hire their own support staff. Read more

Carl Hansen, the former Chief Executive of the Electricity Authority between 2010 and 2018, joins Matt Burgess to discuss what happened on the evening of 9 August when 35,000 homes lost power on the coldest night of the year. Carl explains how the blackout happened and the response to the event by the government. Read more

Ben Craven talks to New Zealand Initiative Senior Fellow Dr David Law about the implications of rising inflation, and how a different type of mortgage could make it more affordable to get on the housing ladder. If you would like to listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Oliver Hartwich and Eric Crampton talk to University of Auckland’s Professor Des Gorman (Ngāpuhi), from the University’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. The team discuss New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and what could be done differently. Read more