The New Zealand Initiative

Are the days of large news outlets now in the past? If so, what does that mean for our shared experiences and understanding of what is and isn’t news? And how does news become news anyway? Sean Plunket from The Platform and Dr Catherine Strong from Massey University presented their views of the media at The New Zealand Initiative Members’ Retreat. Ben Craven sat down with both Sean and Catherine a...

Oliver Hartwich talks to Alex Sundakov from Castalia Advisors about his experiences in both countries, how the Soviet era cast a long shadow over their national identities, and why there might be some small positive to come out of the terrible conflict in Ukraine. Mr Sundakov was previously the International Monetary Fund’s resident representative to Ukraine and maintains strong connections to the...

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss Germany’s response to the war in Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently threw out three decades’ worth of German foreign policy dogmas. His “Zeitenwende” (turning of the times) proposed a large increase in military spending, provision of military arms to Ukraine, and a phasing out of Russian energy imports. But have the new Social Democrat Chancellor’s...

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven on the podcast to reflect on ten years of The New Zealand Initiative. The pair discuss the highlights over the years, the Initiative’s influence on policy debates, and share with listeners a few hard-case stories along the way.

Kiwi households are paying more than $3,000 extra on essentials than they were 12 months ago, and policies implemented by the Government and Reserve Bank are contributing to the problem. Matt Burgess talks to Oliver Hartwich about his latest research note. The pair discuss the policies that have exacerbated Kiwis’ cost-of-living pressures and predict what we can expect to see in the near future.

Earlier this week, Climate Change Minister James Shaw was interviewed by Andrew Dickens on Newstalk ZB about our latest research, Pretence of Necessity: Why further climate change action isn’t needed and won’t help. The Minister made some dubious claims during his interview. Report author Matt Burgess sat down with Oliver Hartwich to address each of the Minister’s points and clear up his confusion...

Is New Zealand’s Net Zero carbon emissions target of 2050 likely or achievable? Will electric vehicle subsidies and similar policies help us get there? Matt Burgess joins Ben Craven to talk through the findings of his latest research report, Pretence of Necessity: Why further climate change action isn’t needed and won’t help. Read Matt’s report on the NZ Initiative website, www.nzinitiative.org.nz

How has Putin’s regime changed over the years? And does the structure of his government explain Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its poor military performance? Oliver Hartwich and Eric Crampton are joined by Victoria University of Wellington’s Associate Professor Xavier Marquez, an expert in dictatorship, authoritarianism, and non-democratic politics.

We recently announced the appointment of new Senior Fellow, Dr Michael Johnston to lead our education programme. Michael joins us from Victoria University of Wellington, where he was most recently Associate Dean (Academic) in the School of Education. In this podcast, Michael speaks about his career, his experiences in the education sector and academia, and the research projects he has planned for...

Life has become grotesquely unaffordable for many Kiwis, so who is to blame? Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to explain why prices are so high, how politicians will try to take advantage of the cost-of-living crisis, and why we can soon expect to lose more Kiwis to Australia.

There is never a shortage of economic opinions among commentators – but what is the expert consensus among economists? Eric Crampton talks to Ben Craven about the new Economic Experts Survey, what the discipline agrees on, and the danger of faddish economic beliefs in the public sector.

Two weeks on from our last International Outlook podcast on the Russia/Ukraine conflict, Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss what has happened since. Were the meetings between Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin constructive? And is Joe Biden right to warn of an imminent invasion?

The controversial Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act came into force from 1 December 2021. It has significantly changed how Kiwis gain access to credit. Ben Craven and Oliver Hartwich discuss the effects of the CCCFA with Lyn McMorran, executive director of the Financial Services Federation, a non-profit organisation representing New Zealand’s responsible non-bank financial institutions.

The European Union has recently labelled nuclear energy and natural gas as environmentally sustainable energy sources. What has led to this labelling and what does it mean for Europe’s energy future? Oliver Hartwich discusses the issue with Ben Craven.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope joins Oliver Hartwich and Ben Craven on the podcast to discuss the Government's proposed unemployment insurance scheme. What will it mean for employers and employees? And is there any real need for it in New Zealand?

The early 90s was the last time New Zealand’s Reserve Bank had to get high inflation under control. Does the agency have the will and determination for the fight three decades later? Matt Burgess speaks to Ben Craven about his latest NZ Herald column, "Why inflation looks here to stay".

On our latest episode of International Outlook, Ben Craven talks to Oliver Hartwich about the tumultuous leadership of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Oliver recounts his own interactions with the larger-than-life politician and explains what impact the latest lockdown party scandal will have on Boris’s leadership and the UK’s place on the global stage.

2022 will be an important year for the Government as it decides upon energy and emissions policies. Matt Burgess joins Ben Craven to talk about three of the important developments we can expect to see: • The effects of a $75 ETS price; • The Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan; and • The business case for the proposed Lake Onslow Battery scheme.

Inflation is now higher than it has been in more than three decades. Matt Burgess and Oliver Hartwich join Ben Craven to discuss the latest inflation figures. What is responsible, and what needs to be done to get it back under control?

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Is invasion inevitable, or does Putin have other goals in mind?

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven for the final NZ Initiative podcast of 2021. The pair recap the highlights of the past twelve months, look at how the Initiative has influenced policy, and outline plans for 2022.

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss the government’s proposal for social unemployment insurance, and the lessons New Zealand should heed from Germany’s experience with social security.

Our Chairman and Senior Fellow Roger Partridge joins Ben Craven to discuss the Initiative's latest education research and what can be done to reverse Kiwi students' poor literacy results.

Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss the new German coalition of the centre-left Social Democrats, the free market Free Democrats, and the Greens. What does the new government believe in, and what can we learn from their huge 177-page coalition document?

Matt Burgess talks to Ben Craven about his latest NZ Herald column and submission on the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan. Matt explains why most government policy interventions in the name of climate change cannot reduce emissions as they are already under New Zealand’s emissions cap.