Reports about the Government reconsidering the controversial Auckland cycling bridge are welcome. At projected costs of $785 million, the bridge always looked excessively expensive. Read more
The Initiative welcomes the government’s decision to reform the planning system. The Resource Management Act (RMA) has been disastrous. Read more
The Climate Change Commission believes the ETS is not enough. But not enough for what? Read more
KiwiBuild never made any sense and could not work. The reason was simple. Read more
A 500-gram punnet of grapes: $1.89. A 2 litre bottle of Coca-Cola: also $1.89. Read more
If you're going to read the Commerce Commission's market study on supermarkets in New Zealand, I'd suggest starting with the first half of Chapter 6 which explains the difficulties facing any potential new entrant. As far as I'm concerned, evidence on margins and such really don't mean much unless there are substantial restrictions against new entry. Read more
Oliver Hartwich and Eric Crampton join Matt Burgess to talk about the government’s performance on immigration since the lockdown. Skilled migrants who cannot get their families into the country or obtain residency are now leaving, while MIQ spaces sit vacant and the government is paying migrants to come into the country to deal with a skills shortage. Read more
A few days ago, the Otaki Medical Centre posted about one of their doctors on Facebook: “We’re disappointed to have lost Dr Richards back to the UK after being unable to secure him and his family residency due to a Government freeze in place with COVID-19,” the GP practice wrote. “Here is an amazing doctor, who cares about our community and wanted to make NZ home. Read more
One of the finest shows on economic affairs was ‘Clarke and Dawe’. The two satirists collaborated from 1989 until John Clarke’s death 2017. Read more
We seem to be living in a time of shameless posturing about caring for ‘our’ wellbeing by the government, and too many government agencies to list. The posturing reminds me of the saying - in the context of runs on a bank - that if a bank has to proclaim its virtue, it has already lost it. Read more
What happens to even the best juggler when ball after ball is added to his load? Sooner or later, collapse is inevitable. Read more
Countries have political rallies, of course. But when they take place in France, with its revolutionary history, they always appear more passionate. Read more
About a year ago, North American friends started looking to New Zealand as an early glimpse of their own potential post-Covid world. They were still stuck in lockdowns; we had emerged from ours. Read more
Two cars pull up to a traffic light. One is a farmer in his trusty ute. Read more
Inflation numbers for the June quarter are out. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3.3% in the year to June. Read more