The Future of Welfare in NZ
Can we expect that as Asian values become more prevalent we will see less tolerance for people who make benefit dependency a lifelong habit? I hope so.
Economy
The Other Side of the Story
The more the state does, the more the state is expected to do.
They Are Losing Our Trust
The coalition has a lot on its hands, but it is in danger of throwing away the next election because it is losing the respect and trust of voters. ACT and New Zealand First are raising legitimate concerns about the coalition’s direction. National needs to listen and learn, before it’s too late.
Imputed Rent Is a Misguided Policy
When supply meets demand, things become more affordable, and we should focus on eliminating and changing policies that limit the supply of housing rather than instituting misguided policies driven by jealousy.
PM Reacts to Smiths City Closure
Smiths City was founded in Christchurch in 1918 and is a long-standing name in New Zealand retail, selling home appliances and furniture. The company has been under increasing financial pressure, with sales continuing to fall despite store closures and downsizing measures.
Why ‘Eating the Rich’ Undermines Everyone’s Prosperity
Wealth accumulates where people create value, meaning great fortunes reflect service, not selfishness. That’s why taxing fortunes undermines prosperity.
Do Rising House Prices Damage Growth?
Just when this trend looks like it might gradually make housing more affordable, with immense social benefits and, apparently, considerable benefits in improving our disappointingly poor record in productivity growth, the prime minister panics.
PM Says Amazon Will Invest $7.5 Billion in New Zealand
The development is expected to create around 1000 jobs and add $11 billion to the country’s GDP.
NZ Cannot Afford to Be Blasé About This
Grant Robertson, the former finance minister, expressed regret for not borrowing more.
Willis and the Express Lane Myth
Rail freight could slash those costs, but decades of neglect combined with the duopoly’s trucking dominance has left rail on life support.
Fund the User, Not the Provider
The great author/philosopher Eric Hoffer once said, “Every great cause begins as a movement, then becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”
France ‘Could Trigger Next Financial Crash’
Government set to fall amid bankruptcy worries.
Now Middle England Is Becoming Poor
If Gen X are losing the habit of spending significant money on things, and Gen Z is not adopting the habit at all, how will the economy grow?
