Search

Tax is love?

In a predictable statement earlier this week, the Green Party co-leader declared her party’s undying love for taxation. A rather Orwellian take on the libertarian war cry of “tax is theft,” Marama Davidson said those who fork out money to the state are world-saving humanitarians since “tax is love.” In the spirit of this wonderful reframing of charity, I propose a few more ideas so Kiwis can help spread the “love.” A good place to start is property rights. Read more

Insights Newsletter

31 July, 2020

Pharmac: The right prescription?

This report examines the strengths and weaknesses of New Zealand’s arrangements for prescription medicines. Central to them is the Pharmaceutical Management Agency, Pharmac, a Crown entity. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson ONZM

Research Report

29 July, 2020

Media Release: New report asks if the government should be buying medicines for Kiwis

Wellington, 28 July 2020 – Should the government buy medicines for people who could afford the drugs themselves? This is one question asked in a new report by think tank The New Zealand Initiative. Read more

Media Release

29 July, 2020

Bryce Wilkinson on the Pharmac funding model

Following the release of his new report Pharmac: The right prescription?, Bryce Wilkinson talks to Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB about the Pharmac funding model. Bryce says Pharmac deserves credits for lowering the costs of many medicines, but he raises questions about whether the government needs to pay for medicines for everyone. Read more

Dr Bryce Wilkinson ONZM

Newstalk ZB - Mike Hosking Breakfast

29 July, 2020

Ditch Iain Lees-Galloway's labour market reform agenda too

Last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern decided the conduct of her Workplace Relations and Safety Minister showed a “lack of judgment.” Whether Iain Lees-Galloway’s indiscretions justified him being thrown out of cabinet is open to question. But the weaknesses of his labour market reform agenda are not so debatable. Read more

Roger Partridge

NZ Herald

28 July, 2020

There's no such thing as a free carpark

Free parking isn’t free. Whether it’s an unmetered on-street parking space, or a parking space that comes bundled with an apartment or house, or the off-street parking space in front of a shop that you’ve not had to pay to use, they all have a price. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton

The Dominion Post

27 July, 2020

Podcast #19: Eric Crampton on why a safer border system will help rural NZ

Most of the country is still reeling from the drastic lockdown response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The major cities are hurting, but it’s not until one travels to rural New Zealand that the simmering economic issues appear. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton

Podcast

24 July, 2020

Research Note: Safe Arrivals

Up to a million Kiwis live overseas with a right to return to New Zealand. While the country is now effectively free of Covid-19, with cases only in the country’s quarantine facilities, the pandemic rages abroad and is unlikely to abate anytime soon. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton

Research Note

24 July, 2020

Media Release: Border entry can be safely scaled-up, new report says

Wellington, 23 July 2020 – New Zealand needs to ‘raft up’ with other Covid-free countries while building stronger border capabilities, according to a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. And a voucher programme for helping returning Kiwis cover the cost of managed isolation could help New Zealand’s managed isolation system safely scale up. Read more

Media Release

24 July, 2020

Eric Crampton proposes voucher system to ease burden of Covid-19 quarantine

As we expect the Covid-19 pandemic to continue for many months if not years, we must find ways to re-engage with the world safely. Chief Economist Eric Crampton makes in a new report practical recommendations on how New Zealand can safely re-open our border. Read more

Dr Eric Crampton

TVNZ Breakfast

24 July, 2020

Stay in the loop: Subscribe to updates

You're now in the loop

Search