Setting the Scene | The Problem of Poverty

By Kieran Madden

INTRODUCTION How we understand, define, and measure poverty matters. Poverty, especially in developed countries like New Zealand, is complex and…

The pitfalls and priorities of Public Private Partnerships

By Julian Wood

New Zealand has a long and contentious history of private public partnerships (or PPPs). The biggest argument in favour of…

Budget reveals wellbeing will cost more than Rules allow

By Julian Wood

The figures announced in last week’s Wellbeing Budget stretches the Government’s self-imposed Budget Responsibility Rules (keeping the level of net…

Government needs to give answers on “wellbeing”

By Alex Penk

This week the Government will unveil the first-ever Wellbeing Budget, somewhat breathlessly described by the New York Times as “New…

MEDIA RELEASE: Creating work opportunities for people with disabilities to get out of poverty

Thursday, 23 May In New Zealand people with disabilities earn just half of the average income of people without disabilities….

The “yeah, nah” government

By Kieran Madden

That gutting feeling of unfulfilled expectations is hard to shake, and the bigger the promise, the bigger the disappointment. The…

Now is the time to take our changing future seriously

By Kieran Madden

The Government is dead-set on improving “wellbeing” as the mark of their leadership, and “long-term intergenerational wellbeing” in particular. This…

Making the Provincial Growth Fund a risk worth taking

By Julian Wood

The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) represents a once in a generation opportunity to support a sustainable future for New Zealand’s…

Make the change, don’t keep the change

By Jeremy Vargo

Quick question. If a checkout operator gives you too much money back in change, do you tell them and give…

The Politics of Diving

By Kieran Madden

Soccer goalkeepers sure look spectacular with their acrobatic dives during penalties, but studies show that simply standing in the middle…

Two-and-a-half cheers for child poverty bill

By Alex Penk

I was born at the tail-end of Gen X, so I grew up with a pop culture saturated by “fear…

Shaking off stardust politics

By Kieran Madden

Famously elusive about her political leanings, pop sensation Taylor Swift recently went beyond her usual neutral get-out-and-vote message to endorse…

Better the ballot box we know

By Danielle van Dalen

When online banking was first introduced, my Dad was sceptical. He worried there would be problems with security, access, and…

Losing All Blacks nothing to fear

By Julian Wood

In a surprise move, a group of the top 1 percent of male New Zealand income earners are appealing for…

Mana in Mahi isn’t your average work-for-the-dole scheme

By Kieran Madden

Translated to “strength in work,” Labour’s Mana in Māhī scheme shows real potential to make a difference in the lives…

Generational perspective necessary to do policy well

By Kieran Madden

Our view of human nature makes a big difference on which policies we devise and support. “If men were angels,…

The $64,000 question

By Julian Wood

As my colleague discussed in a recent column, we have to be careful that our desire to punish offenders and…

Housing Panel – Live Q+A

THREE PERSPECTIVES ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD A decent, affordable place to live is a basic need for every person,…

Is there demand for a tourist tax?

By Danielle van Dalen

I’m no economist, but even I know that basic economic theory says that as the price for a product increases,…

Beware the consequences of the waka-jumping bill

By Danielle van Dalen

Like many, my first introduction to politics was through a class election. My group decided our key campaign promise was…