The New Zealand Initiative

Welcome to the New Zealand Initiative podcast! In this episode, Michael Johnston has a fascinating conversation with Bali Haque, an experienced educator who has held various roles in the education sector. Bali is a well-respected educator, having worked as a teacher, principal, and national education agency executive in New Zealand. This engaging discussion delves into Bali's experiences as Deputy Chief Executive at NZQA, particularly focusing on the reforms to NCEA he oversaw. Bali shares his insights into the cultural and ideological dynamics of the education sector, highlighting the tension between formative and summative assessment and the challenge of maintaining credibility in the face of public expectations. Join us for an insightful conversation as we explore the complexities of education reform and the ongoing quest for an effective and credible education system in New Zealand.

In this thought-provoking episode, the Initiative’s economists – Dr Oliver Hartwich, Dr Eric Crampton, Dr Tony Burton, and Dr Bryce Wilkinson – dive into the debate over whether Australia is a better option for skilled talent. They discuss the current challenges faced by New Zealand in terms of health, education, and infrastructure, and how the nation's performance is deteriorating relative to Australia. With both countries vying for the best talent, the experts analyse the impact of increased public spending without seeing significant benefits in crucial areas. They also address the unaffordable housing crisis and the role of central and local governments in land use planning. Finally, they explore the pathway to citizenship for Kiwis in Australia and debate whether the government is the solution or the problem. Join us for a riveting conversation that will leave you questioning where you'd rather be.

Learning is a central pursuit of the education system. It is essential that educators understand key elements of the science of human learning and how to apply them in the classroom. In this podcast episode, Michael Johnston is joined by Lloyd Gutteridge, author and senior lecturer at Auckland University of Technology in the Business, Economics and Law Faculty. They discussed the importance of prior knowledge in learning and the risks of too much edutainment in teaching. They also discussed gaps in the New Zealand curriculum and the science of learning, including cognitive load theory.

The Initiative team has welcomed a new addition to their team with the appointment of Tony Burton as a Research Fellow. Tony has a PhD in economics and philosophy from the University of East Anglia researching game theory and choice under uncertainty. After the purity of academic research, he opted for the world of policy, first at the UK Ministry of Health, then in New Zealand at the Ministry of Social Development and Treasury where he was formerly Deputy Chief Economist. Tony’s work for the Initiative will focus on public service and reform.

In this podcast episode, the Initiative’s chief economist Eric Crampton is joined by OliverShaw Principal, Robin Oliver, to discuss new independent research which shows that high-wealth individuals pay more tax on average and represent a higher proportion of the total tax take than may previously have been thought. It has been strongly suggested that, in practice, New Zealand’s income tax regime is not as fair as statutory tax rates would suggest. However, no reliable data exists to support this claim. Leading tax consultancy OliverShaw commissioned Australasian consulting firm, Sapere Research Group, to prepare a report on the effective rates of tax that New Zealand’s tax and benefit systems impose on the incomes of its residents.

In this podcast episode, we explore the state of education in New Zealand, both at the school and university levels. Drawing from our own experiences, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the current education system and the challenges that students face in their pursuit of higher education. We delve into the issue of whether students are adequately prepared for university-level learning, with some arguing that there has been a decline in educational standards in recent years. Join us as we analyse the state of education in New Zealand and consider what needs to be done to ensure that students are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.

In this episode, Dr Oliver Hartwich and Dr James Kierstead discuss administrative bloat in New Zealand universities, focusing on the rise of non-academic staff and its potential consequences. Dr Kierstead shares some figures on the large number of non-academic employees compared to academic staff and compares the situation to other countries. The conversation considers why universities need non-academic staff, but also explores how many is too many. Dr Kierstead's upcoming report aims to start a debate about how many non-academic staff are needed and how universities can balance their priorities to provide quality education and research while managing their finances.

Much can be learned from the past, both the good and the bad. The Initiative’s upcoming report takes a historical perspective on New Zealand’s infrastructure challenge and offers a roadmap for moving forward. In this week's podcast, Drs Oliver Hartwich and Matthew Birchall discuss some of our nation’s key infrastructure success stories, from the construction of toll roads in the Taranaki during the 19th century to the rollout of broadband in the new millennium, and how we need to embrace private enterprise, local knowledge, and a cultural attitude that welcomes growth and development to deliver ambitious infrastructure once again.

In this week’s podcast, Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston are joined by visiting professor Dr Antje Barabasch to discuss vocational education and training, the Swiss dual education system, and the differences with the New Zealand system. Professor Dr Antje Barabasch is head of the research axe “Teaching and Learning in VET” and the research field “Learning cultures and instruction”. Prior to her position at the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training (SFUVET) she worked at CEDEFOP, an agency of the European Commission, and directed various European research projects. Today, her research is concerned with new learning cultures in VET, especially in enterprises, creativity development and creative approaches to VET, teacher training as well as policy transfer in VET.

There are many pressing problems facing New Zealand, but none more urgent than the decay of our once great education system. For more than two decades, the literacy and numeracy achievement of our young people has been declining. The downward trend is clear, in both our national monitoring data and international tests like PISA. We have an appalling truancy problem, and our teachers are unsupported and undervalued. In this week’s podcast, Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston discuss the Initiative’s education manifesto Save our Schools: Solutions for New Zealand’s Education Crisis. This manifesto draws on the body of research compiled at The New Zealand Initiative over the past decade to bring together a coherent plan to improve our education system, and to restore it to a place of international excellence.