My Christmas wishlist
We had a fantastic year at the Initiative but there is much more work for us to do next year. At the top of my Christmas wish list are better debates and better ideas for a better New Zealand. [...]
2016
An incentives approach for the new PM
A legacy of housing affordability would be a historic achievement and it would transform the lives of millions of New Zealanders. Good luck, Mr Prime Minister. [...]
New housing strategy needed
Unaffordable housing does not have to be the price we have to pay for living in a globally connected city. And telling people on average incomes to just put up with it is the modern equivalent of Marie Antoinette's 'Let them eat cake'. [...]
Quiet Kiwi achiever John Key closes the door on politics
Rather than trying to define his time in office by some eye-catching policy reforms or projects, John Key's measure of success was that New Zealand was doing well under his management. [...]
Does Castro trump Trump?
Those who do not condemn the evil tyranny of Castro, should spare us their moral judgements on others. [...]
Protecting consumers from themselves (and each other)
What if people were best placed to figure out for themselves what is good for them and what is not? [...]
Give Trump a chance
According to most commentators, the election of Donald J. Trump signifies the end of the West, the end of the international post-War framework, or at least the end of the United States. I beg to differ. [...]
The end of the campaign, not the end of the world
Have we ever witnessed a stranger US election campaign? What started off looking like a bad joke has now become a possibility: Reality TV star and self-proclaimed business genius Donald Trump becoming the 45th US President. [...]
Top 10
On capitalism by another name, explaining Trump, the perils of health hype, understanding inequality, Brexit's language barrier, Ikea economics and more. [...]
Belgium proves Brexiteers right
The CETA fiasco has seriously diminished the EU’s reputation as an organisation to do business with. Any other country thinking about doing trade deals with the EU will now think twice. [...]