Census trouble
Hey, you. Yeah, you. Read more
27 October, 2023
Learning about inflation
Common advice to public speakers is to start with a joke. So perhaps outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was only joking when he kept saying, “We are winning the battle against inflation”. Read more
Dr Dennis Wesselbaum
27 October, 2023
The Platform: Oliver Hartwich on the future of NZ's political landscape
Dr Oliver Hartwich was interviewed on The Platform to talk with Michael Laws about the future of New Zealand's political landscape. You can find a snippet of their conversation below. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich
27 October, 2023
Education under the coming coalition
In a week from now, when the special votes have finally been counted, coalition negotiations will begin in earnest. National, ACT and, probably, New Zealand First will get into horse-trading over policy and Ministerial posts. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston
27 October, 2023
Briefing for the incoming Education Minister: The teaching profession is in crisis
New Zealand’s teachers are operating under a lot of pressure. Our schools face an acute shortage of teaching staff, especially in specialist areas like secondary mathematics and science. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston
27 October, 2023
What is the value of heritage?
Dr Eric Crampton talks to RNZ about the Wellington Town Hall strengthening project budget blowout and the value of heritage. Listen to the interview below. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton
26 October, 2023
Localism: The common thread in New Zealand’s emerging coalition
New Zealand politics is in limbo right now. Special votes are being counted. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich
26 October, 2023
Dr Michael Johnston talks about the shocking results of new NCEA tests
Dr Michael Johnston talks to Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio about the shocking results of the new NCEA maths and writing tests. Listen here. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston
25 October, 2023
Boys’ underachievement at school is a problem for everyone
As we digest the results of the election and contemplate the future, it is an opportune time to shine a light on an educational and social timebomb that was completely ignored during the campaign. Young men, many of them barely literate, fill our prisons and dominate our suicide statistics. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston
24 October, 2023
Christopher Luxon and a new era of political leadership for NZ
New Zealand’s election marked the end of Labour’s six-year Government. However, the final form of the next government remains unclear until the ‘special votes’ are counted. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich
24 October, 2023
On water reform National and Act are sailing on same course
No election platform survives contact with post-election coalition negotiations. But one outcome of the current negotiations seems rather obvious. Read more
Dr Eric Crampton
24 October, 2023
Podcast: Teacher education in NZ: Past and present
Dr Michael Johnston talks to Dr Mark Sheehan, from Victoria University of Wellington, about the transition of teachers' colleges into the universities, discusses the state of teacher education today and considers what might need to change in order to make a difference in the lives of young people. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston
24 October, 2023
The REM phase of politics
An apparent pause grips the political scene in the quiet days after New Zealand’s election. The old government remains in caretaker mode. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich
20 October, 2023
Newton’s fifth law of rugby dynamics
How sweet is the sound of victory! On Sunday morning, the All Blacks won against the Irish team. Read more
20 October, 2023
Electoral quirks
We made it – or at least, we thought we had. After a tiring and often dispiriting election campaign, New Zealand has voted for a new centre-right government. Read more
Dr Matthew Birchall
20 October, 2023