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Nick Mills discussed our report "Owning Less to Achieve More" on Newstalk ZB, which proposes selling state homes and replacing them with rent vouchers for tenants. Mills explored the report's findings that Kāinga Ora's maintenance costs are nearly double those of private landlords, and highlighted Sir Bill English's view that the focus has shifted away from tenants towards the houses themselves. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson talked to Wallace Chapman on RNZ's The Panel about the our report "Owning Less to Achieve More", which proposes housing vouchers for state housing tenants as an alternative to direct government ownership. Dr Wilkinson explained how vouchers could empower tenants through provider choice, similar to the pre-school education model, while panellists Sue Bradford and Dean Hall debated the importance of housing stability versus addressing inefficiencies in the current system. Read more

Nick Clark talked to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB about improving local government voter turnout and council effectiveness. He argued that smaller, more localised councils with stronger mayoral powers and better accountability mechanisms could increase engagement, pointing to Switzerland's model of thousands of local government units as a potential alternative to New Zealand's consolidation approach. Read more

Nick Clark talked to Jack Tame on Q+A about the record-low voter turnout in local elections, arguing councils need stronger mayors, better funding tools, and freedom from central government interference to restore public engagement. He advocated for incentive-based funding mechanisms like GST sharing on building consents while expressing concerns about the government's proposed rates capping, warning it could lead to infrastructure deficits and higher debt. Read more

Wellington (Wednesday, 1 October 2025) – Canadian First Nations are helping tackle Canada’s housing crisis through council-like authority over their own land. A new report highlights this proven Canadian turnaround success story and draws lessons for New Zealand. Read more