Reports & Media

On Newstalk ZB, Ryan Bridge discussed Dr James Kierstead's new report with Prof Elizabeth Rata, examining how A grades at universities have increased from 28% to 35% since 2006, reaching nearly half of all marks during COVID. Prof Rata praised the report for providing crucial empirical data on grade inflation and attributed the problem to a cultural shift from merit-based to equity-focused assessment, where students now expect high grades without necessarily demonstrating the required ability or effort. Read more

Wellington (Tuesday, 26 August 2025) - 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, according to a new report released today. Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities, published by The New Zealand Initiative, is the first analysis of grading patterns across all eight New Zealand universities. Read more

Dr James Kierstead talked to Ryan Bridge on Herald Now about grade inflation at New Zealand universities, revealing that A grades have increased by 13 percentage points since 2006, with pass rates now above 90% at most institutions. Dr Kierstead argued this isn't due to students getting smarter but rather an "ethic of kindness" where academics give more accommodations, particularly highlighted during COVID when 49% of University of Auckland grades were A-range. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton talked to Sean Plunkett on The Platform about David Seymour's proposal to review mandatory cycle helmet laws and the economic effects of helmet mandates. Dr Crampton explained how helmet requirements may actually reduce overall cycling rates and discussed research suggesting the health costs from decreased cycling could outweigh safety benefits from mandatory helmets. Read more

In this episode, Benno Blaschke talks to Oliver Hartwich about the recent Trump-Putin meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, where Trump appeared to abandon the Western position of seeking a ceasefire first in favour of Putin's demand for an immediate "peace deal" that would cement Russian territorial gains. They discuss the troubling implications of Trump applauding Putin on arrival, the bizarre shared ride in the presidential limousine, and how this summit signals a dangerous shift from rules-based international order to great power politics that could embolden other territorial aggressors, particularly China. Read more

Dr Michael Johnson talked to the Wallace Chapman, Ali Jones and Simon Pound on RNZ's The Panel about the educational reasoning behind focusing on English phonics for beginning readers. He explained that teaching consistent spelling-to-sound mappings first, before introducing irregular words including te reo Māori terms, helps young children build reading confidence through mastering fundamental phonetic rules. Read more