The New Zealand Initiative

Release Date

All Episodes

Let prices do the job when fuel is scarce

In this episode, Eric talks with Andreas Heuser, partner at Heuser Whittington and lead economist on the government's fuel security study, about why the price system is New Zealand's best tool for managing fuel scarcity in the wake of the Strait of Hormuz closure. They discuss wh ... Show more

. 48min 34sec

Will the Planning Bill actually deliver housing affordability?

In this episode, Nick and Benno discuss whether New Zealand's proposed planning reforms can actually deliver housing affordability or fail to escape the gravitational pull of the status quo. They unpack how our current planning system and the rules it makes are an extractive inst ... Show more

. 47min 48sec

Academic freedom and institutional neutrality in New Zealand’s universities

In this episode, Michael talks with Dr James Kierstead about the pressures on academics to align with universities’ institutional priorities, including expectations to incorporate Māori and Pasifika perspectives in all teaching programmes. The discussion raises questions about ac ... Show more

. 35min 27sec

Alain Bertaud on what planners control — and what they don't

Renowned urbanist Alain Bertaud has spent six decades studying cities: from working as a young draftsman in Chandigarh in 1963 to advising governments worldwide on urban land markets. His book Order Without Design has become a touchstone for New Zealand's housing reforms, cited b ... Show more

. 1h 6min

Iran, three weeks on

In this episode, Oliver Hartwich and Eric Crampton are joined by retired Major General John Howard to assess the Iran conflict three weeks on, covering how it has escalated, what the odds of de-escalation look like, and whether a US ground invasion or ceasefire is realistic. They ... Show more

. 57min 26sec