Wellington, 9 September 2020 – Almost a third of Kiwi voters do not know which political parties are in Parliament and less than half understand how a party can get there, according to a new study. With elections just around the corner, new research by The New Zealand initiative reveals just 69% of Kiwis can name all five political parties in Parliament today. Read more
Wellington, 9 September 2020 – If Labour’s goal is to get debt back under control then it would make more sense to prune back spending, such as on superannuation, says David Law, senior research fellow at The New Zealand Initiative. Today, Labour finance minister Grant Robertson announced a lift in the top tax percentage from 33% to 39% for anyone earning over $180,000. Read more
Wellington, 3 September 2020 – A chokepoint at the border is blocking entry of critical workers and suffocating the economy, according to a new paper from The New Zealand Initiative. New Zealand’s small size means both the public and private sectors often need international experts with niche skills. Read more
Wellington, 10 August 2020 - State-integrated schools are the best value for money compared with private and state schools, according to a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. Many parents want their kids to go to private schools. Read more
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
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
Wellington, 25 June 2020 - The US experience with cannabis legalisation is as diverse as its many models – each state runs things differently, according to a new research project by the New Zealand Initiative. The Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill referendum is booked for 19 September, and all sides of the cannabis debate will want to pick examples that best fit their position. Read more
Wellington, 19 June 2020 - To plug the fiscal gap created by Covid-19, the Government must rethink its retirement income policies, according to a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. So far, the Government’s primary responses to the challenges of Covid-19 appear to have focused on spending more money to help New Zealand’s lagging economy. Read more
Wellington, 16 June 2020 - The Government’s refusal to let its skilled public servants advise a Select Committee about new legislation is “deeply concerning,” said The New Zealand Initiative. Today, the Environment Select Committee published its final report on Minister Shane Jones' Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Bill. Read more
Wellington, 12 June 2020 - New Zealand is now on a dangerous path to higher public debt and unprecedented money printing with no credible plan for unwinding the situation before the next crisis, warns a new report by The New Zealand Initiative. Covid-19 and the various types of lockdown responses have caused many governments to go even more heavily into debt and print money to sustain asset prices with borrowed money. Read more
Wellington 25 May 2020 - To prepare for the next virus pandemic, New Zealand has plenty to learn from the successes of three East Asian states, according to a summary report from The New Zealand Initiative. Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan all successfully “flattened the epidemiological curve” early in their Covid-19 pandemic responses. Read more
Wellington, 21 May 2020 - Even in emergencies, democratic governments must comply with the law, according to a new report The rule of law or the law of rulers by the New Zealand Initiative. As legal challenges emerge to question the lawfulness of the Government’s restrictions, courts will decide whether the lockdown was illegal. Read more
Wellington, 18 May 2020 - More time for scrutiny of the proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act is needed, particularly when thousands of Kiwi businesses teeter on the edge of bankruptcy. The Government tabled the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Amendment Bill last Thursday for its first reading on the same day. Read more
Wellington, 14 May 2020 - The Government’s proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act will only make it harder for struggling Kiwi businesses to recover after Covid-19 lockdowns, said The New Zealand Initiative. Yesterday, associate finance minister David Parker announced the introduction of a “national interest test” for New Zealand’s strategic assets should they go on the market. Read more
Wellington, 14 May 2020 - Budget 2020 puts the Government firmly in the driver’s seat to get New Zealand through the Covid-19 financial crisis, but it will need more than good intentions to succeed, according to The New Zealand Initiative. The Coalition Government announced the largest spending package in the country’s history, adding $50 billion to the already announced $12.1 billion Covid-19 recovery fund for an enormous total of $62.1 billion, with much of that funding held in reserve in case of future outbreaks. Read more