REPORTS

This essay advances four propositions: (a) the separate seats are unnecessary to secure effective representation of Maori, (b) the seats entrench a form of historical paternalism that removes Maori issues from the mainstream political agenda, (c) the retention of the seats under MMP represents an insidious form of reverse discrimination and (d) the seats invite 'overhang' and the potential to undermine the expressed will of the people. Read more

This article is an appeal to the media. Speaking to the Journalism Education Association in Wellington recently, prime minister Helen Clark said she wished the New Zealand media were better informed about, among other things, economics. Read more

Actions speak louder than words is the second discussion paper in a research project that the New Zealand Institute is conducting to develop recommendations on New Zealand’s policy response to climate change.

 

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In recent years Nigel Lawson has written extensively on climate change and has argued that policies enhancing the global community's ability to adapt, rather than just those seeking to limit greenhouse gas emissions, are the most affordable and effective response. He has criticised what he identifies as the "religion of eco-fundamentalism" and has instead emphasised the need to focus broadly on solutions that promote social and economic development. Read more

We’re right behind you is the first discussion paper in a research project that the New Zealand Institute is conducting to develop recommendations on New Zealand’s policy response to climate change. Read more

Despite considerable government investment in tertiary education and training, New Zealand has seen sustained and substantial shortages of skill labour. Norman LaRocque looks at the reasons behind this and outlines the policy environment necessary to address the skills deficit. Read more

Taxation generates various administrative, avoidance, compliance and rent-seeking costs. Alex Robson explains how these ‘deadweight losses’ affect the incentives faced by workers and investors to engage in productive economic activity and how moving to a flatter tax structure would reduce these losses and increase economic growth. Read more

This paper is intended as an introduction to the topic of public policy. Contributing to the development of good public policies for New Zealand is central to the mission of the New Zealand Business Roundtable. Read more

Proponents of income redistribution generally see it as the easy solution to poverty and inequality, and believe all that is needed is the political will to act. But, as Mark Harrison points out in this empirical study of the effects of the income redistribution, they rarely question how effective it is. Read more

So far yet so close is the sixth paper in a series that forms part of the New Zealand Institute’s research project on Creating a global New Zealand economy. This paper follows on from our first five papers No country is an island, Dancing with the stars?, The flight of the Kiwi, Developing Kiwi global champions, and Competing to win. Read more

In terms of revenue, spending and assets, many councils rank with New Zealand’s largest enterprises: ratepayers’ equity is a massive $67 billion, or $16,300.00 per capita. This report points to the very large increases in rates payable by households and businesses over recent years. Read more

The draft New Zealand Curriculum adopts an intellectually flawed ‘outcome-based’ education model. This is an approach which prevailed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and has now been largely discredited and abandoned by countries with successful education systems. Kevin Donnelly advocates the internationally proven syllabus or standards-based approaches and argues that continuing to ignore the large body of international evidence in this area will put future generations of New Zealand students at risk. Read more

A collection of speeches given by Sir Ronald Trotter between 1986 and 2002 on behalf of the New Zealand Business Roundtable. Read more

Some environmentalists believe that a pristine environment is a goal to be achieved regardless of the costs to human communities. Suri Ratnapala explains the need to balance threats to the environment with the threat to constitutional government that arises from ill-advised policy responses to the challenges of environmental protection. Read more

Competing to win is the fifth paper in a series that forms part of the New Zealand Institute’s research project on Creating a global New Zealand economy. This paper follows on from our first four papers No country is an island, Dancing with the stars?, The flight of the Kiwi, and Developing Kiwi global champions. Read more