Dr Oliver Hartwich Views from Wellington

Insights

New Zealand’s new reality

New Zealand is negotiating a critical minerals deal with the U.S. under pressure for quick compliance, reminiscent of extraction rather than traditional ally negotiations, impacting security and expectations significantly. […]
The Australian

Time to reform how governments reform

At the World Economic Forum, Mark Carney emphasised the need for middle powers to reform their policy-making systems. New Zealand’s recent reforms highlight the challenges of bureaucracy and accountability in achieving lasting change. […]
Newsroom

Donald Trump, the Kaiser in Mar-a-Lago

Comparisons to Hitler are wrong. Trump is more like Kaiser Wilhelm II: an erratic media monarch dismantling the guardrails of democracy to satisfy his own fragile, dangerous ego. […]

Paying for growth

Insights

23/01/2026

There is an urgent need to reform housing funding by sharing GST on new builds with local councils to incentivise growth and improve housing affordability. […]

Trump aide’s ‘might-makes-right’ doctrine threatens Australia and New Zealand’s claims

The Australian

20/01/2026

It is timely to reflect on Münster’s town hall, birthplace of the Westphalia peace treaty, contrasting its legacy with contemporary views on sovereignty – not least the erosion of established territorial norms, particularly through the actions of U.S. leaders. […]

To stop megaphone populists triumphing, we need unlikely left-right alliance

20/01/2026

The Mont Pelerin Society, often misunderstood as conspiratorial, actually advocates for classical liberalism, emphasising the need to protect democracy and open society against the rise of populism and authoritarianism.

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The Warmth of the Herd

28/12/2025

Voters are losing patience with democratic process, sliding from civilisation’s hard order back into the comfortable order of the tribe. Thinking in principles is hard; belonging feels good.

[…]

When fiscal conservatives fall out, the books are in trouble

19/12/2025

New Zealand’s fiscal crisis is highlighted by a public spat between Finance Minister Nicola Willis and former Minister Ruth Richardson, revealing deep structural deficits and political constraints in addressing them.

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From blueprints to building

19/12/2025

In 2025, New Zealand experienced a shift in attitudes as the government initiated significant reforms in housing, transport, and education, aiming for practical solutions and long-term improvements despite ongoing challenges.

[…]

Greyhound racing law change is legal overreach

11/12/2025

The New Zealand Government’s bill to ban greyhound racing raises concerns about arbitrary power and lacks compensation provisions, undermining the rule of law and civil society rights.

[…]

The US ditching the rules-based order leaves NZ living on a prayer

09/12/2025

The American conservative viewpoint has drastically shifted from Reagan’s commitment to alliances and internationalism to Trump’s transactional approach, endangering global stability and leaving allies, like New Zealand, vulnerable.

[…]

Dr Oliver Hartwich

Views from Wellington

New Zealand’s new reality

Time to reform how governments reform

Donald Trump, the Kaiser in Mar-a-Lago

Paying for growth

Trump aide’s ‘might-makes-right’ doctrine threatens Australia and New Zealand’s claims

To stop megaphone populists triumphing, we need unlikely left-right alliance

The Warmth of the Herd

When fiscal conservatives fall out, the books are in trouble

From blueprints to building

Greyhound racing law change is legal overreach

The US ditching the rules-based order leaves NZ living on a prayer

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