The Ch'íyáqtel First Nation near Chilliwack, British Columbia, is tiny. The Band counts 731 members, some 58% of which live on Ch'íyáqtel lands. Read more
One really ought to seek professional help for following German politics from Wellington. Like all addicts, I have a splendid rationalisation: My fortnightly column on European affairs for Newsroom requires me to stay informed about German politics. Read more
Every Wednesday, New Zealand Initiative staff meet to discuss our columns for the week. It is part of our routine. Read more
All my friends sometimes skip school. For my school ‘think tank’ project, I decided to explore why they do so, and to propose some ideas for reducing the behaviour. Read more
Dr Michael Johnston spoke to Simon O'Connor on Reality Check Radio about the significant challenges facing New Zealand's education system, including curriculum issues, teacher training problems, and declining university standards. He outlined potential solutions including a more structured knowledge-rich curriculum for schools, improved teacher training methods, and addressing free speech concerns in universities, while emphasising the need for both regulatory and cultural changes to improve educational outcomes. Read more
Emile Donovan spoke to Dr Eric Crampton on his show RNZ Nights about prediction markets and whether they are more accurate than polling. Listen below. Read more
In this episode, Eric talks to Dylan Mordaunt, a clinician and visiting fellow at Victoria University, about healthcare policy and regulation in New Zealand, sparked by a recent Niskanen Centre report highlighting how supply constraints affect healthcare delivery. They explore various regulatory barriers affecting medical practitioners, scope of practice limitations, and access to medicines, while discussing how to balance public safety with increasing healthcare accessibility and capacity. Read more
If you think you understand something pretty well, here’s a fun exercise. Explain in detail how the thing works, including how one part causes another part to move. Read more
Dr Oliver Hartwich spoke to Paul Brennan on Reality Check Radio about New Zealand's dysfunctional local government system, where elected officials are often powerless against entrenched bureaucracies. He proposed adopting reforms similar to those implemented in Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia region in the 1990s, where they created an "executive mayor" position that combined the roles of mayor and chief executive, leading to more effective local governance. Read more
Sean Plunket talks to Dr Eric Crampton on The Platform about whether social media bans for kids actuallly work. Watch below. Read more
It all began with a selfie. Four beaming politicians captured their own optimism in the late German autumn of 2021. Read more
In this episode, Michael and James talk to Oxford theologian Nigel Biggar as he discusses his experiences with academic cancel culture and argues that while the British Empire had significant flaws, it also helped spread important liberal values and institutions throughout the world. The conversation then delves into how modern universities are struggling with free speech and academic discourse, suggesting that a combination of institutional cowardice, loss of religious frameworks, and generational disconnection from historical threats to democracy has led to current campus tensions around controversial topics. Read more
In his victory speech, Donald Trump promised Americans a new “golden age”. While he had the numbers to win the election, the economic realities he faces will make delivering on his promise challenging. Read more
Every year in New Zealand, around 62,000 young people leave school. Just 6% of them enter apprenticeship training. Read more
When New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters met his Indian counterpart Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Australia this week, some New Zealand journalists were puzzled. Why would bilateral talks happen in a third country? Read more