Reports & Media

If Auckland takes the full eight weeks to work its way through the Government’s “three-step plan” for Alert Level 3, 1.6 million Kiwis will have endured one of the world’s most stringent lockdowns for more than half a year. Seven-and-a-half weeks at Levels 3 and 4 in March and April last year. Read more

In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Arthur Dent found the Council’s plans to bowl his house, to make way for a bypass, the day before its scheduled demolition. The plans had been publicly consulted, of course. Read more

As my hometown enters its 19th week of lockdown with no end in sight, it’s easy to feel a bit hard done by. But every pandemic has its silver lining. Read more

Work is underway to design an unemployment insurance (UI) scheme for New Zealand. Such schemes are compulsory and require contributions from individuals. Read more

There’s an old saying that makes the rounds now and again, with various attributions. “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” I wonder how this one is going to end for Rako Science. Read more

"For every economist, there exists an equal and opposite economist." Or so satirists of the economics profession claim. The truth is most economists agree on most of economics. Read more

It has been rather a long time coming. Yesterday, Prime Minister Ardern announced that summer will bring vaccination passport requirements. Read more

They say you can’t fight City Hall. And pity the developer who tries. Read more

Last Sunday’s election results in Germany were clear. The Christian Democrats, Angela Merkel’s party, lost heavily. Read more