The New Zealand Initiative's Chief Economist, Dr Eric Crampton, gives us his review of John Raffensperger and Mark Milke's book "Smart markets for Water Resources". Dr Crampton helped to launch this book at the University of Canterbury on Tuesday 18 July. Read more
The Project covered The Opportunities Party announcement of providing a UBI for 18-23 year olds. The Initiative's Chief Economist Dr Eric Crampton contributed to the debate. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative is New Zealand's leading think tank. The Initiative produces accessible, evidence-based research (available in print and online) with a focus on policy areas we believe are vital for a free and prosperous New Zealand. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative has released its new research plan for 2017 through to 2020. The aim is the same as our previous research plans – to shape the policy agenda and tackle the big issues facing our country. Read more
Some people fear rising sea levels, asteroids hitting the earth or global pandemics. It is easy to be scared of such threats because one can easily understand them. Read more
To get the disclaimer out of the way, Mainfreight’s founder and chair Bruce Plested is not only a member of the Initiative. Bruce is also someone I admire. Read more
Have you ever wondered why children learn to speak with relative ease, and yet find reading so much harder? This question was answered in the last 30 years by evolutionary psychology. Read more
Politicians are often accused of trying to pull the wool over the public’s eyes. It isn’t often they try to pull the wool under the public’s feet. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative has welcomed news that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are still under consideration by the Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges. We also note that government documents released under the Official Information Act show that Ministers Bill English and Steven Joyce were supportive of the proposal. Read more
Unless the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) imposes some restrictions on the charter boats operating in the Kaikoura region, the rock lobster fishery could be unsustainable within a couple years, according to local commercial fishers. And they could be right. Read more
We all know two wrongs don’t make a right. But nor does getting something only half right. Read more
On Wednesday evening, Oliver summed up our event à la Casablanca. Thanking our guest speakers, he rightly said ‘I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship’. Read more
I thought that having a UK celebrity chef tell us that our kids are too fat and that anyone against a sugar tax deserves a slap would have gone down as well as a sous vide burger. I was wrong. Read more
The Commerce Commission now has more powers to investigate competition issues in any area where it thinks there might be a problem. In this week’s National Business Review, the Initiative’s Chair, Roger Partridge, argues this was a bad idea. Read more
Parents lucky enough to be able to choose among different schools weigh up schools’ deciles and NCEA performance. Unfortunately, neither of these necessarily show which would be the right choice for their children. Read more