Regulation

With energy prices spiking, an old idea has gathered fresh momentum: break up the big electricity companies. New Zealand First put the proposal on its agenda at the party’s State of the Nation address, calling for the four gentailers, companies that both generate and retail power, to be split apart.

The Regulatory Standards Bill represents an important step towards improving the quality of regulation in New Zealand. The Initiative strongly supports the Bill’s objectives of enhancing transparency and accountability in law-making.

The Government’s proposal rests on the assumption that there exists a broad global consensus on the need for ex-ante rules for digital platforms. This purported consensus is, however, largely overstated.

It is not every day that a disagreement between a think tank and a central bank makes international headlines. But that is precisely what happened last week.

In the rugged landscapes of Thingvellir National Park, just outside Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, lies a reminder of a simpler time in governance.

When the EU embarked on developing its own taxonomy, maybe it should have consulted with a few biologists. That may have prevented it from creating a monster.

Only free entry into the retail market would tell us if there is enough supermarket competition in New Zealand.

The Reserve Bank should allow itself and the public more time for consultation on new capital requirements for banks.