Law
There is a constant theme from the economic commentariat that New Zealand needs to lift its economic growth rate, coupled with policies which they are certain will attain that objective. Their prescriptions are usually characterised by two features. First, they tend to be in their advocate’s self-interest. Second, they are unbacked by any systematic empirical evidence using, instead selective anecdote. Well, yes; there is always an example to confirm one’s prejudice. But rarely will it stand up in a court of science. (The conversation is not helped by those who cannot discriminate between productivity growth is slowing down and productivity is falling.)
Do we treat the government finances with the common sense that household’s manage theirs?
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.
The Government says it will give localities more control over healthcare decisions. But how?
Interpreting the agreement made at Waitangi as a social contract is a way to move forward on treaty issues.
The debate this Waitangi Day is urging us to certainty and resolution, but we should resist the temptation. History cannot be carved in stone and those trying risk dividing the country
ACT leader David Seymour spoke of generational change in his state of the nation speech. Yet this government is built more for tweaking than transformation, so what’s a determined change-maker to do?
And even more from the book it is based upon: “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin.
The New Zealand economy is struggling; the new government will struggle to implement its economic promises.
As politicans break for the year, the clock is still ticking on the government’s 100 Day Plan. So what’s it delivered so far? And what’s it taught us about the new coalition?
The new Minister of Finance implied that Treasury’s ‘books’ were deceptive. Can’t see it myself.
In his Economists in the Cold War, Alan Bollard contrasts Saburo Okita of Japan with Zhou En Lai of China to highlight a critical issue.
Alan Bollard, formerly Treasury Secretary, Reserve Bank Governor and Chairman of APEC, has written an insightful book exploring command vs demand approaches to the economy.
The coalition party agreements are mainly about returning to 2017 when National lost power. They show commonalities but also some serious divergencies.
A previous column looked at Winston Peters biographically. This one takes a closer look at his record as a minister, especially his policy record.
The picture the commentariat presents of Winston Peters is a misleading caricature. If we don’t try to understand the complexity of the man, we cannot understand what is going on in New Zealand politics.
Did you think the incoming government promised to extend bowel screening to 50-59 year olds? The promise was more limited – and more feasible.
here is a view that the world economy is entering a period of higher inflation and higher nominal interest rates, but who knows? Presumably New Zealand has to follow.
The Israel-Hamas war asks us to balance atrocities, trade off kidnapped grandmothers with bombed babies. It’s a fool’s errand. We need to remember the humanity of our enemies
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines.