The New Zealand Initiative The New Zealand Initiative

In this podcast, Nick and Eric talk to Sam Broughton and Simon Randall from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) about the potential for implementing city and regional deals in New Zealand - formal long-term partnerships between central and local government to better plan and fund local infrastructure and economic development.

They explore the benefits such deals could provide, like aligning incentives, enabling tailored local policies, and sharing gains, while also examining the political barriers that need to be overcome.

In this episode, Michael and James talk to Dr Dennis Wesselbaum about issues with New Zealand's current university funding model, which relies heavily on student enrollment numbers.

They explore potential reforms to create a more stable and effective system that balances access, workforce preparation, and research excellence.

In this episode, Michael and James talk to Jonathan Rauch, famed American journalist and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute.


They discuss the importance of free speech and open debate for the advancement of knowledge and the health of our society.


They explore how cultivating the skills of constructive disagreement, from the classroom to the public square, may hold the key to navigating our increasingly polarised world and safeguarding the pursuit of truth.

In this episode, Oliver talks to Dr Murray Horn, former Secretary of the New Zealand Treasury and former CEO of ANZ.

They talk about the fiscal challenges facing the new government as it prepares its first budget amidst high inflation, recession, and mounting debt.

Murray provides his expert perspective on what reforms are needed to control spending and put New Zealand's fiscal framework on a more sustainable trajectory, advocating for a focus on results, strengthened fiscal responsibility principles, public service leadership changes, clarified priorities, and improved service delivery.

In this episode, Oliver talks to John Morris, ONZM, an educator and a former footballer who represented NZ on an international level. They discuss the decline of New Zealand's school system in recent decades and the difficulties in reforming it. With the right changes, New Zealand's education could be turned around in the coming years.

In this podcast episode, James talks Professor Abhishek Saha about the state of academic freedom and free speech in UK universities.

They discuss the newly passed Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act, its key provisions, and its potential impact on protecting the right of academics and students to express diverse viewpoints without fear of censorship or repercussions.