Dr Oliver Hartwich

Notes from New Zealand

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Politics

Stylised eagle in red, white and blue
Insights

Does Castro trump Trump?

2 December 2016

Those who do not condemn the evil tyranny of Castro, should spare us their moral judgements on others.

Andrew Little speaking at a New Zealand Tertiary Education Union event.
Insights

Little’s progressive vision

30 January 2015

Having become leader only a couple of months ago, there were great expectations for Andrew Little to spell out what Labour would focus on under his watch.

Kim Dotcom at the Moment of Truth event at the Auckland Town Hall, September 2013.
Insights

End the Dotcom sideshow

19 October 2012

No doubt Herr Dotcom has real entertainment value, and his case confounds the view that there’s nothing comical about us Germans.

Photos from the Victorian Socialists 2019 Federal Election Campaign Launch.
The Australian

Most voters just want a pretty face

17 March 2011

Sometimes, even a politician’s smile is more important than his or her policies.

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About me

Oliver Hartwich

I run The New Zealand Initiative, a Wellington think tank that argues for free markets, limited government and institutions that work. I grew up in Germany's Ruhrgebiet and worked in London and Sydney before moving to New Zealand in 2012. This site collects two decades of my columns, reports, speeches and interviews, with the occasional satire.

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Latest video

All TV appearances · Playlist on YouTube

Latest audio

  • Newstalk ZB · 9 November 2026 · 8 min

    What the 2026 election shows about MMP

    0:00
  • Free to Disagree · 6 November 2026 · 56 min

    Why hasn’t New Zealand warmed to its prime minister?

    0:00
  • Initiative podcast · 5 November 2026 · 32 min

    Why an ageing New Zealand is an opportunity, not a burden

    0:00

All interviews and podcasts

My books

Cover of The Martian Audit

The Martian Audit (2026)

Two Martian auditors land in the Wairarapa and are promptly fined for parking without consent. A satirical novella, free to download as PDF or EPUB.

Cover of In the Meantime

In the Meantime (2026)

Investing in a more tribal, less rational world. Written for the Da Vinci Lecture at the Portfolio Construction Forum. Free to read online.

Cover of Leonardo's Legacy

Leonardo's Legacy (2025)

Why investment professionals must become civilisational stewards. Written for the first Da Vinci Lecture at the Portfolio Construction Forum. Free to read online.

Free to Disagree

Free to Disagree podcast logo, with Damien Grant and Oliver Hartwich
Weekly podcast with Damien Grant

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