Australia – Dr Oliver Hartwich

The Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf of Oman with the Persian Gulf

Hormuz crisis may force reform – but only through catastrophe

17/03/2026

New Zealand faces an economic crisis due to rising oil prices and supply disruptions, prompting officials to prepare contingency plans. Previous crises were met with borrowing rather than structural reforms, perpetuating deep-rooted issues.

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Australia and New Zealand face productivity crisis as economic reform stalls

11/03/2026

Australia and New Zealand face economic challenges stemming from declining productivity. Their central banks have divergent policies, but both nations must address structural reforms to foster sustainable growth and efficiency.

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the word trading spelled out in scrabble letters

Dismantling the competition myth

17/02/2026

Australia’s economic transformation since the 1980s resulted more from Hawke-Keating reforms that opened markets than from the Trade Practices Act. Effective competition arises from fewer barriers, not merely regulations.

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NZ’s answer to infrastructure crisis hiding in plain sight

08/10/2025

New Zealand’s government faces a fiscal crisis with rising debt, infrastructure deficits, and limited options for funding. Asset recycling, as successfully implemented in Australia, could provide a viable solution.

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Our fearful mindset may be AI’s greatest hurdle

23/05/2025

A breakfast event in New Zealand’s parliament unveiled a report highlighting digitalisation’s potential to boost the economy. However, cultural skepticism towards AI threatens effective adoption and progress.

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Beware the landslide: Ardern’s lesson for victorious Albanese

06/05/2025

The Australian election results of 2025 mirror New Zealand’s 2020 Labour victory and subsequent fall, cautioning Albanese’s Labor against overreach, emphasizing voter concerns over ambitious agendas.

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Time for ANZAC 2.0

21/03/2025

Michael Pezzullo made the case for an integrated ANZAC military force, citing serious security threats from China and New Zealand’s precarious defence position.

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The US is in retreat as China rises: it’s time for ANZAC 2025

20/03/2025

Donald Trump’s interactions with Putin signify a shift from the post-war order, undermining US support for allies like Australia and New Zealand, compelling them to enhance military cooperation amid rising Chinese assertiveness.

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black and white photo of the rarotonga brewery building in rarotonga cook islands new zealand

America’s Pacific paradox leaves the door open to China

11/02/2025

The U.S. shows selective concern over Chinese influence in Pacific nations like the Cook Islands, while withdrawing aid, risking a strategic vacuum that China is eager to fill.

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Why it’s dangerously misguided to ignore threat of new axis

29/10/2024

Historian Niall Ferguson warns that today’s geopolitical conflicts arise from economic volatility and imperial decline, emphasising the West’s need for resolve against authoritarian regimes and cooperation with allies.

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