In my last Insights column, I explained what grade inflation is and why it’s bad. I also surveyed research showing that grade inflation is a problem at universities in the US, the UK, and Australia. Read more
Auckland desperately needs homes. Under thirties are giving up on finding homes while politicians promise solutions. Read more
When council rates rise at five times the rate of inflation, while water pipes burst and potholes multiply, something has gone very wrong. Council rates jumped 12% last year, the steepest increase in decades, and will on average increase 9% this year. Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to Eric Crampton and Benno Blaschke about the New Zealand government’s supermarket competition reforms, which closely reflect The New Zealand Initiative’s policy framework—a major policy win that saw their research inform the Minister of Finance’s approach. They explain how their practical policy document shifted government thinking away from heavy-handed breakups and toward tackling the real structural barriers in planning and regulation. Read more
Last week, New Zealand’s Reserve Bank (RBNZ) cut interest rates to 3.0 percent. The government was quick to take the credit. Read more
At universities across the English-speaking world, grades have been going up. At US colleges, As (A+, A or A-) are now the most common grade. Read more
1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This submission on the Local Government (Systems Improvements) Amendment Bill (the Bill) is made by The New Zealand Initiative (the Initiative). Read more
In this episode, Oliver talks to James Keirstead about his latest research report "Amazing Grades" which provides the first systematic analysis of grade inflation across all New Zealand universities. They discuss how A-grades have increased by 13 percentage points over two decades, reaching 35% of all grades awarded, and explore potential solutions including statistical moderation systems and national examinations to restore meaningful academic standards. Read more
Dr James Kierstead talked to Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio about his report "Amazing Grades", which exposes how New Zealand universities have become increasingly generous with their grading over recent years. Dr Kierstead explained that the surge in high grades stems from academics adopting more lenient assessment practices rather than any genuine improvement in student ability, a pattern that became starkly evident during the pandemic. Read more
When a constitutional law professor warns of “dangerous foes” threatening New Zealand’s legal system, you might expect concern about genuinely destabilising forces – political interference with judicial independence, or threats to the rule of law itself. You would be wrong. Read more
Roger Partridge talked to Sean Plunket on The Platform about Radio New Zealand's recent internal review, which revealed the broadcaster has lost touch with its audience and become complacent since the pandemic. Partridge argued that while the review identified many problems, it failed to address what he sees as the elephant in the room - Radio New Zealand's political and cultural bias that has developed over the past decade. Read more
Wellington (Wednesday, 27 August 2025) – The Government’s supermarket package adopts the right strategy for competition – remove barriers to entry and open the door to investment. That is the core approach The New Zealand Initiative has championed for years, including in a May 2025 research note, A Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion Omnibus Bill, setting out a rules‑based alternative focused on planning, consenting and overseas investment. Read more
“Artificial unintelligence more like it.” So declared a reader of The Australian after one of my recent columns on artificial intelligence. Another chimed in with this observation: ‘AI can NOT work out what is a Spam or Phishing E-Mail, something that a human can do at just a glance.’ I stared at these comments, genuinely bewildered. Read more
Nearly half of all grades at the University of Auckland were As during COVID-19, part of a dramatic rise in top marks that cannot be explained by academic improvement. Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities, is the first analysis of grading patterns across all eight New Zealand universities. Read more
It is hard to tell whether politicians have forgotten New Zealand’s pioneering work in inflation targeting and the central bank independence needed to back it up. Or if they simply fail to see the risks. Read more