Reports & Media

Local democracy in New Zealand is facing a troubling imbalance: mostly part-time councillors must process complex information prepared by full-time professional staff, often receiving hundreds of pages just days before critical votes. Could AI help rebalance this information asymmetry and strengthen democratic oversight? Read more

Wellington (Thursday, 12 June 2025) - Picture this: a part-time councillor rushes home from their day job, grabs dinner, then sits down to wade through 600 pages of technical reports two days before a crucial council meeting. Sound familiar? Read more

Nick Clark was mentioned on Newstalk ZB's news segment discussing his latest research on AI's potential for local government. The segment highlighted Clark's insights on how AI could assist councillors by helping them analyse reports, identify key points, and flag inconsistencies, while emphasising that the technology would enhance rather than replace human judgement. Read more

John MacDonald discussed Dr Michael Johnston's report on Newstalk ZB, revisiting The New Zealand Initiative's research on modern learning environments. Dr Johnston's report, originally published in 2022, exposed the Ministry of Education's practice of mandating large open-plan classrooms without conducting proper evaluations of their educational effectiveness. Read more

In this episode, Eric talks to Tom Mungham, the former Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, about gambling regulation. Drawing from Ontario's successful experience with online gambling regulation, they explore how New Zealand can learn from and adapt international best practices to create a robust, consumer-friendly regulatory framework that protects both players and market interests. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich talked to Heather Du Plessis-Allan on Newstalk ZB about the potential global economic impact of Donald Trump's tariffs. Dr Hartwich highlighted that these tariffs could destabilise global trade for decades, with businesses struggling to plan due to the unpredictable nature of trade policies. Read more