Claim OwnershipThe New Zealand Initiative
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Podcast by The New Zealand Initiative
297 Episodes
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In this episode, Oliver talks to Roger Partridge about his new report "Unscrambling Government," which proposes consolidating New Zealand's extraordinarily complex government structure from 81 ministerial portfolios, 28 ministers, and 43 departments down to a more manageable 15-20 portfolios with corresponding departmental consolidation.
They discuss how New Zealand's fragmented ministerial system creates accountability problems, increases fiscal costs, and hampers effective decision-making on critical issues like housing affordability, comparing unfavourably to other small advanced economies that operate with far simpler structures.
Read the report here: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/unscrambling-government-less-confusion-more-efficiency/
In this episode, Oliver talks to Eric Crampton and Benno Blaschke about the New Zealand government’s supermarket competition reforms, which closely reflect The New Zealand Initiative’s policy framework—a major policy win that saw their research inform the Minister of Finance’s approach.
They explain how their practical policy document shifted government thinking away from heavy-handed breakups and toward tackling the real structural barriers in planning and regulation.
In this episode, Oliver talks to James Keirstead about his latest research report "Amazing Grades" which provides the first systematic analysis of grade inflation across all New Zealand universities.
They discuss how A-grades have increased by 13 percentage points over two decades, reaching 35% of all grades awarded, and explore potential solutions including statistical moderation systems and national examinations to restore meaningful academic standards.
You can read Dr Kierstead's report "Amazing Grades: Grade Inflation at New Zealand Universities" here: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/amazing-grades-grade-inflation-at-new-zealand-universities/
In this episode, Benno Blaschke talks to Oliver Hartwich about the recent Trump-Putin meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, where Trump appeared to abandon the Western position of seeking a ceasefire first in favour of Putin's demand for an immediate "peace deal" that would cement Russian territorial gains.
They discuss the troubling implications of Trump applauding Putin on arrival, the bizarre shared ride in the presidential limousine, and how this summit signals a dangerous shift from rules-based international order to great power politics that could embolden other territorial aggressors, particularly China.
In this episode, Eric talks to Ben Hamlin, Barrister at Clifton Chambers, about new Commerce Commission guidelines on occupational regulation and how professional licencing systems can restrict competition and increase prices for consumers. They discuss how government-created licencing boards often operate like cartels by limiting who can enter professions, and how the Commission's new guidance aims to prevent these anti-competitive practices.
Related links:
• Cabinet Office Circular CO (99) 6: Policy framework for occupational regulation. - https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-99-6-policy-framework-occupational-regulation
• Commerce Commission. 2025. Occupational regulation guidelines. - https://comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/367556/Occupational-Regulations-Guidelines-July-2025.pdf
In this episode, Oliver talks to Adelle Keely, Chief Executive of Acumen, about the Initiative's delegation to the Netherlands.
They explore the country's remarkable approach to challenges, uncovering how Dutch culture of collaboration, technological innovation, and pragmatic problem-solving offers profound insights for New Zealand's future development and national thinking.
1In this episode, Oliver Hartwich talks to Michael Johnston about the government’s proposal to replace New Zealand’s National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) after more than two decades.
They discuss how the current system, with its fragmented assessments and focus on collecting credits, has weakened learning. Michael explains how the proposed changes aim to create a clear, curriculum‑aligned qualification framework and open better pathways for both academic and vocational students.
In this episode, Oliver talks to Professor Barbara Oakley about her six-month stint as a visiting senior fellow at The New Zealand Initiative, marking her farewell to her time here in New Zealand.
Reflecting on her work here, Barbara shares insights into education, discussing the challenges of student-centred learning, her work with the Initiative, and the video project she's created with Michael Johnston to help transform teaching approaches.
In this final episode of their three-part series, Dr Eric Crampton, Dr Benno Blaschke and Dr Stuart Donovan critically examine the government's housing discussion document, assessing its potential to create more competitive urban land markets.
They explore whether the proposed reforms genuinely move towards a more responsive and dynamic urban development system or remain trapped in existing planning paradigms.
In this second episode of their three-part series on New Zealand's housing crisis, Eric Crampton continues the discussion with Stu Donovan and Benno Blaschke, exploring what competitive urban land markets could look like.
Building on their previous exploration of how New Zealand's housing became dysfunctional, they now examine the ideal alternative to the current system, detailing how a more responsive urban environment could address the structural issues discussed in Part 1.
In this episode, Eric Crampton talks to Benno Blaschke and Stu Donovan (Senior Fellow at Motu) about the complex history of New Zealand's housing crisis, exploring the first part of a three-part series on housing dysfunction.
They delve into the underlying causes of housing unaffordability, exploring how urban planning policies, council incentives, and infrastructure constraints have contributed to limited housing supply in major cities like Auckland.
In this episode, Oliver talks to Associate Professor Darwyyn Deyo about her research journey from using popular fiction like Harry Potter to teach economics concepts to her main work on occupational licensing regulations.
They discuss what occupational licensing actually involves, how New Zealand's lighter approach compares to the much more extensive system in the United States, and examine whether these regulations truly protect the public or create unnecessary barriers to work.
In this episode, James talks to Professor Ian Pace from City, Saint George's University of London about academic freedom, discussing the challenges facing universities, including political pressures, institutional neutrality, and the need for legislation to protect free speech and critical inquiry in academic settings.
The conversation explores recent developments in academic freedom legislation in the UK and New Zealand, examining how universities are navigating complex issues of free speech, institutional policies, and the potential risks of political conformity in higher education.
In this episode, Eric talks to Tom Mungham, the former Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, about gambling regulation.
Drawing from Ontario's successful experience with online gambling regulation, they explore how New Zealand can learn from and adapt international best practices to create a robust, consumer-friendly regulatory framework that protects both players and market interests.
In this episode, Eric talks to Benno Blaschke about his groundbreaking report proposing a fast-track supermarket entry and expansion omnibus bill that could revolutionise New Zealand's grocery market.
They discuss the regulatory barriers preventing new supermarket chains from entering the market and explore a legislative framework that would streamline planning and consenting processes to enable new grocery retailers to establish multiple stores across the country.
You can read the research note "Fast-Track Supermarket Entry and Expansion Bill" here: https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/fast-track-supermarket-entry-and-expansion-omnibus-bill/
In this episode, Oliver talks to Nick Clark about how artificial intelligence could help local government councillors make better decisions.
They discuss how AI tools can help councillors understand complex reports, identify key issues, and formulate intelligent questions, ultimately empowering elected representatives who are often overwhelmed by technical information outside their expertise.
In this episode, Michael and James discuss institutional neutrality in universities, examining how the Education and Training Act Amendment Bill addresses universities' ability to take official positions on political matters.
They analyse Otago University's draft statement on institutional neutrality, exploring the distinction between universities "taking positions" versus "making statements" on controversial issues, and consider how the legislation could be improved to better protect academic freedom.
In this episode, James and Michael discuss how the Education Training Amendment Bill transforms school governance in New Zealand. They examine the bill's shift to make student learning the paramount objective for school boards, new requirements to address truancy through attendance management plans, and enhanced assessment standards to improve educational outcomes.
In this episode, Oliver interviews Scott Scoullar, Chief Executive of Summerset, about New Zealand's looming aged care crisis with a projected shortfall of 7,000-8,000 beds by 2030 despite increasing elderly demographics. They discuss how retirement villages provide cost-effective care solutions, the regulatory hurdles of building new facilities, and the urgent need for better dialogue between the aged care sector and government policymakers.
In this episode, Oliver talks to Nick about his submission regarding New Zealand's proposed parliamentary term extension from three to four years.
Nick supports the concept of longer terms but criticises the current proposal's complicated conditional approach, arguing instead for a straightforward extension that should also apply to local government.
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