Publications

International confidence matters

To keep international investors’ trust, we must remain squeaky clean in our fundamental economic institutions. If we are not, New Zealand will come out of the Covid-19 crisis as a broken economy and a failed state. [...]

Neuseelands Politik der Panik

Kaum ein Land hat in der Corona-Krise so positiv auf sich aufmerksam gemacht wie Neuseeland und seine Premierministerin Jacinda Ardern. Sie wurde dafür gefeiert, wie souverän sie das Virus besiegt hat. Bei genauem Blick entpuppt sich das Wunder als Medienhype. [...]

A safe sporting haven for rent?

New Zealand fought hard to beat the virus and now it deserves to seize an economic opportunity. Safely and selectively, the border can be re-opened to anyone prepared to undergo a strict quarantine – whether they are football players, investors or students. [...]

An election year budget

It should have been a budget to steer New Zealand out of this economic depression. But it reads like a budget in an election year. [...]

The ghost of Kevin Rudd

First, I never want to hear another excited word about shovel-ready projects. Second, I would like to see decent cost-benefit analyses before any new spending project. And third, I wish the public service would curb any over-enthusiastic minister on their respective pet projects. [...]

The end of a beautiful friendship

If at some point this crisis is no longer acute, then the Franco-German axis will feature only in history books – and the EU will not be able to find a replacement for it anytime soon. [...]

Paving the path to recovery

Our recovery path will be bumpy. But good policy development can help clear the road and lead us towards a better future. [...]

Seven principles for recovery

How do you get an economy going again when entire industries are destroyed? How do you encourage private consumption when families are trying to make ends meet? How do you run a government when public finances are in disarray? [...]

Speech to the Epidemic Response Committee

Nobody knows what exactly our future will look like. But we do know that an economic framework with secure property rights, sound money, competition, freedom of contract, open markets and a functioning price system will give us the flexibility we need to weather the storms and grow out of this crisis. [...]

Debt is the least of Italy’s problems

No matter how much fiscal support he will receive, it will do nothing to reverse Italy’s productivity trajectory. And for as long as Italy remains part of the Eurozone, none of the above issues can be resolved. [...]