Are Aesop’s fables, such as “The Ant and the Grasshopper” still taught to school children? When winter arrives the industrious and thrifty ant refuses to share its food with the hungry grasshopper who had frivolously spent the summer singing. Read more
The Whanganui District Council has taken the bold step of banning the use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) in public areas. Experts recognise that vaping is a much safer alternative to smoking and has been a critical factor in helping people quit. Read more
Peter Jackson took a few liberties with Tolkien’s text for the Lord of the Rings films. Most of them, I didn’t like. But one addition I rather liked came at the start. Read more
The Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Household Incomesreport demonstrates the critical importance of solving New Zealand’s housing shortage. The MSD’s report demonstrates that real incomes have increased in New Zealand, and that this increase in real incomes is broadly shared across different parts of the income distribution. Read more
On his regular Radio New Zealand Nights chat, Dr Eric Crampton discusses the upcoming election and the housing affordability crisis.
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Wellington (23 July 2017): The New Zealand Initiative congratulates the Government on its new mechanism for delivering local infrastructure – not least because it follows a recommendation the Initiative first made in 2013. The Government has just announced it will rename Crown Fibre Holdings into Crown Infrastructure Partners. Read more
Wellington (23 July 2017): The release of Local Government New Zealand’s (LGNZ) 2017 Local Government Manifesto calls for councils to have more of the responsibility to create stronger, vibrant and more prosperous communities. Since 2012, the role of local government has been a core research topic for The New Zealand Initiative. Read more
Following the release of Superu's report on land use planning on Thursday 20 July, the Initiative's Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich spoke to Larry Williams on Newstalk ZB about our housing research and recommendations.
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Should you be familiar with German children’s literature, you would have encountered a curious character: the illusory giant (Scheinriese). In the works of Michael Ende, best known for his The Never-Ending Story, there is a fearsome giant called Herr Tur Tur. Read more
If your main exposure to economics is hearing bank economists talk on morning radio, you might not have the most accurate picture of what economists do. Trying to guess what interest rates might do, or telling stories about the latest moves in the stock market, are not really what economics is about. Read more
“Who will guard the guards themselves?” Plato asked in the Republic in 380BC. More than two millennia later, well-armed regulatory agencies, instead of armies, wield many of the powers of the state. Read more
Andrew Little has drawn a line in the sand. He has condemned the “blowhard” politics of Winston Peters, and has made it clear this election will not be fought on swinging - um - personalities. Read more
What is worse than watching one's parents argue? It is watching parties argue about parenting. Read more
Despite little evidence of impact, Inquiry Learning is at the heart of New Zealand’s curriculum. One of seven values it encourages in students, inquiry also crops up in the titles of 6 of the 25 ‘Effective Pedagogy’ videos on the New Zealand Curriculum website. Read more
Wellington (20 July 2017): Superu’s report on land use planning confirms what The New Zealand Initiative has been saying since 2012. Restrictions on land use have driven Auckland’s housing crisis. Read more