A year of delivery
The Prime Minister had declared 2019 “the year of delivery”. Voters will eventually judge the government on whether it has succeeded. At the Initiative, we had our own year of delivery. [...]
New Zealand
Zero Carbon Bill fails the climate
It is not enough to just say you care about the climate. We want to see effective and efficient measures to cut emissions. The Zero Carbon legislation does not deliver them. [...]
Waking up to woke
We need to ask for facts when the other side only offers emotions. If we do not do that, we will end up with speech codes resembling those of totalitarian regimes. [...]
The Unreserved Bank
The RBNZ needs urgent clarification that the Monetary Policy Committee will only pursue monetary goals, even under conditions of quantitative easing. [...]
The Unreserved Bank of New Zealand
As the Reserve Bank takes on fiscal functions, its political neutrality and commitment to monetary stability, as well as maximum sustainable employment, need to be re-emphasised. [...]
Trans-Tasman monitoring
Given the past and current closeness of Treasury and the Reserve Bank, should not a monitoring agent be more removed from the object it is supervising? [...]
Kudos to Winston Peters
Winston Peters’ comments on the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre were candid. Where Western politicians have turned not upsetting China over its human rights record into an art form, the Foreign Minister left diplomatic niceties behind. [...]
From localism towards localism: A personal journey of policy discovery
Nothing in my work in Germany, Britain, Australia and now New Zealand has given me reason to doubt my basic beliefs: incentives matter; councils can work effectively when given the right incentives; and decision-making removed from the people it concerns creates problems. [...]
Evidence-based policy and journalism
“What do we want? Evidence-based journalism. When do we want it? After switching off your prejudices.” [...]
Chatham housing
When Housing Minister Phil Twyford spoke at the Initiative’s retreat last week, I had only one regret about having invited him: Our event is held under Chatham House rules. [...]
