The New Zealand Initiative

There are many pressing problems facing New Zealand, but none more urgent than the decay of our once great education system. For more than two decades, the literacy and numeracy achievement of our you...

21 Mar 202323min

Recent Ministry of Education publications bring mātauranga Māori concepts into the school curriculum. While concepts like mauri, a Māori term meaning “vital essence” or “life force”, may have somethin...

20 Mar 202331min

For years, The New Zealand Initiative has argued for the case for localism in New Zealand, which is one of the most centralised countries in the world. According to a recent tax sharing poll, 70% of p...

14 Mar 202342min

The public service, and the neutrality of its leaders, has become a recent issue. In this episode, Drs Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston discuss New Zealand's public service, how it is run, and the...

8 Mar 202324min

The Charities Amendment Bill is currently before Parliament, but it is flawed and full of unintended consequences. As promised in the Labour Party manifesto, charities in New Zealand are demanding a p...

2 Mar 202330min

Director of Economics for the Infrastructure Commission, Peter Nunns, talks to Eric Crampton, Chief Economist for The New Zealand Initiative, about his research on the cost to deliver infrastructure i...

20 Feb 202322min

Resilient infrastructure is crucial for protecting people during disasters and ensuring that communities can bounce back quickly in the aftermath of a crisis. Two powerful examples of this can be seen...

15 Feb 202331min

The Initiative team has welcomed a new addition to their team with the appointment of Benjamin Macintyre as a Research Assistant. Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, International Studies, ...

9 Feb 202314min