Year: 2025

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon proposes selling state assets, like Kiwibank, to fund infrastructure. The debate centers on ensuring proper governance for investment, not ownership ideology, to address urgent infrastructure needs.

The New Zealand Initiative’s report emphasises learning from Dutch pragmatism, highlighting their cooperation, trust in institutions, and effective regulatory measures as key to achieving better outcomes.

In New Zealand, structured literacy reforms have significantly improved phonics knowledge among primary students, sparking ideological opposition from critics entrenched in traditional educational philosophies.

Ursula von der Leyen’s ambitious plans for Europe reveal a disconnect between her promises and reality, highlighting Europe’s dependence on external powers and inability to effectively navigate global challenges.

Air New Zealand’s new whisky rule mandates a single ice cube, reflecting bureaucratic caution. Meanwhile, Qantas’ (of all companies) has a more respectful approach.

Germany’s intelligence chiefs revealed on October 13, 2025, that Russia is waging a hybrid war against Germany, employing sabotage, disinformation, and exploiting domestic extremism to destabilise Europe.

Louise Upston, New Zealand’s welfare minister, faces challenges in reforming a welfare system that fosters dependency, complicated by economic downturns and structural changes.

Labour’s proposal for a sovereign wealth fund misdiagnoses New Zealand’s investment issues, focusing on government intervention rather than improving the investment climate and attracting private capital.