Economics 101 explains why Newshub Bankrupted – it was the fault of its own journalists who should recognize they were the architects of their own demise. A thousand books and papers in economics and business strategy are about the topic of product differentiation – ensuring that what you sell is different from others in order…
ROBERT MacCULLOCH: Economics 101 explains why Newshub Bankrupted
ROBERT MacCULLOCH: Economics 101 explains why Newshub Bankrupted
02 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of information, economics of media and culture, industrial organisation, market efficiency, politics - New Zealand, survivor principle, theory of the firm Tags: creative destruction
Labour’s legacy
01 Mar 2024 Leave a comment
in economic growth, economics of bureaucracy, fiscal policy, macroeconomics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, public economics
Productivity Commission gone tomorrow, Māori Health Authority gone in June – so what should we do with the Waitangi Tribunal?
28 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, health economics, law and economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice, rentseeking
The Productivity Commission will cease operations tomorrow, to make way for the new Ministry for Regulation. On the same day, the Waitangi Tribunal will begin an urgent inquiry into the government’s proposal to disestablish the Māori Health Authority. But legislation passed under urgency by Parliament will result in the authority being shut down by the end […]
Productivity Commission gone tomorrow, Māori Health Authority gone in June – so what should we do with the Waitangi Tribunal?
Goodbye to the Productivity Commission
27 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice
The Productivity Commission closes its doors on Thursday and goes out of existence. There have been a couple of recent articles on the demise of the Productivity Commission, and the chair (Ganesh Nana) has even put out his own statement (not exactly compelling) on productivity, and policy options for improving New Zealand’s dismal performance. There […]
Goodbye to the Productivity Commission
ROBERT MacCULLOCH: Former PM Hipkins & Profs Bloomfield & Baker should be held accountable for quoting statistics that have now been shown to be wrongly estimated
27 Feb 2024 1 Comment
in applied welfare economics, econometerics, economic history, economics of regulation, health economics, politics - New Zealand Tags: economics of pandemics
Why are we still talking about Covid when many countries – like the US – have moved on? Well the US economy is currently booming and ours is stuck in the mud. The reason has emerged over time. Although our response to the virus was to be commended in early 2020 when no-one knew what…
ROBERT MacCULLOCH: Former PM Hipkins & Profs Bloomfield & Baker should be held accountable for quoting statistics that have now been shown to be wrongly estimated
Child poverty – complex or simple?
26 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in applied price theory, applied welfare economics, labour economics, labour supply, politics - New Zealand, poverty and inequality, unemployment, welfare reform Tags: child poverty, family poverty
Question: Do you understand how the child poverty statistics are derived? Clearly some people do not. Last week the latest child poverty statistics were all over the media. But there are a number of misunderstandings that need addressing. Like this one from NewstalkZB’s John MacDonald who wrote: “Living in households that get-by on less than…
Child poverty – complex or simple?
Superannuation, KiwiSaver, and New Zealand’s economic development
22 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economic growth, income redistribution, labour economics, labour supply, macroeconomics, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice, rentseeking Tags: ageing society
The Retirement Commissioner has released a paper on aspects of New Zealand Superannuation (NZS). Its focus includes affordability, fairness, age of eligibility, and the treatment of those over 65 who continue in the workforce whilst also receiving NZS. What the Commissioner does not discuss is the relationship between superannuation systems, domestic savings rates and capital […]
Superannuation, KiwiSaver, and New Zealand’s economic development
ROB MacCULLOCH: Grant Robertson’s new job sends an awful message to students about meritocracy in NZ
22 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of bureaucracy, economics of education, politics - New Zealand, Public Choice
The appointment of Grant Robertson as Vice-Chancellor of Otago University has raised hackles – and questions – among academics. Robertson’s credentials for the job is one issue. The appointment process is another. University of Auckland economics professor Rob MacCulloch has posted these three articles in the past few days on Down To Earth Kiwi… […]
ROB MacCULLOCH: Grant Robertson’s new job sends an awful message to students about meritocracy in NZ
RICHARD PREBBLE: We must get our children back to school
21 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economics of education, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, politics - New Zealand
It will not matter what was agreed in 1840 if the coalition cannot get our children back to school. Most children do not attend school regularly. Nations that do not educate the next generation are doomed to fail. In the 3rd term last year most Pakeha pupils, 52%, did not go to school regularly.…
RICHARD PREBBLE: We must get our children back to school
Māori force indigenous prayer on secular district-council meeting
20 Feb 2024 1 Comment
in economics of religion, politics - New Zealand Tags: Age of Enlightenment, free speech, Freedom of religion, political correctness, regressive left
Meanwhile, the fun continues in New Zealand, as this article from Te Ao, which conveys Māori news, attests. In fact, there’s a video, so you can see the whole episode, as well as a transcript of the video. Here’s what happened: A local district council met and one of the participants wanted to recite a […]
Māori force indigenous prayer on secular district-council meeting
RODNEY HIDE interviews PROF PAUL MOON
19 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in economic history, economics of crime, economics of education, International law, law and economics, liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, property rights Tags: constitutional law
PROF PAUL MOON: Historian and Author: On His Review of The Human Rights Commission’s ‘Maranga Mai’ Report on ‘The Doctrine of Discovery’ Paul Moon joins Rodney to discuss his review of the Human Rights Commission’s ‘Maranga Mai’ report on ‘The Doctrine of Discovery’. Listen here You can read Paul’s review on ‘The Doctrine of Discovery’…
RODNEY HIDE interviews PROF PAUL MOON
John Tamihere – Why did he change?
18 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in discrimination, economic history, economics of education, human capital, labour economics, labour supply, occupational choice, politics - New Zealand, poverty and inequality Tags: New Zealand, racial discrimination
OLIVER HARTWICH: Absurd – NZ courts can now decide on climate change
17 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in comparative institutional analysis, economics of climate change, energy economics, environmental economics, environmentalism, global warming, law and economics, liberalism, politics - New Zealand, property rights, Public Choice, public economics, rentseeking Tags: climate activists, rule of law
Oliver Hartwich writes – The World Justice Project ranks New Zealand 7th out of 142 countries on its ‘Rule of Law Index’, narrowly ahead of Australia’s 13th place. However, Australia still has hope – if only because of a recent decision by the Supreme Court of New Zealand. The case is easily told. Mike Smith, […]
OLIVER HARTWICH: Absurd – NZ courts can now decide on climate change
Mihi Forbes and the great Atlas conspiracy
16 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
in liberalism, Marxist economics, politics - New Zealand, politics - USA, television Tags: conspiracy theorists
Graham Adams writes — Last week, Mihingarangi Forbes made an extraordinary claim while interviewing David Seymour on Mata Reports, a taxpayer-funded current affairs programme which, she says, looks at events through an “indigenous lens”. She asked him about Act’s links to the Atlas Network, which fosters connections between centre-right think tanks around the world. When […]
Mihi Forbes and the great Atlas conspiracy
Chris Trotter’s brain hasn’t melted
13 Feb 2024 Leave a comment
After the 2017 election, the brains of some folks on the NZ right seemed to melt. They imagined that Ardern was controlled by Davos, or the World Economic Forum, or the International Socialist Youth of which she had been President, or Soros. It was all just stupid. Labour had won the election, there were no conspiracies,…
Chris Trotter’s brain hasn’t melted
Utopia, you are standing in it! 
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