The New Zealand Initiative

How has Putin’s regime changed over the years? And does the structure of his government explain Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its poor military performance? Oliver Hartwich and Eric Crampton are joined by Victoria University of Wellington’s Associate Professor Xavier Marquez, an expert in dictatorship, authoritarianism, and non-democratic politics.

We recently announced the appointment of new Senior Fellow, Dr Michael Johnston to lead our education programme. Michael joins us from Victoria University of Wellington, where he was most recently Associate Dean (Academic) in the School of Education. In this podcast, Michael speaks about his career, his experiences in the education sector and academia, and the research projects he has planned for the coming 12 months.

Life has become grotesquely unaffordable for many Kiwis, so who is to blame? Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to explain why prices are so high, how politicians will try to take advantage of the cost-of-living crisis, and why we can soon expect to lose more Kiwis to Australia.

There is never a shortage of economic opinions among commentators – but what is the expert consensus among economists? Eric Crampton talks to Ben Craven about the new Economic Experts Survey, what the discipline agrees on, and the danger of faddish economic beliefs in the public sector.

Two weeks on from our last International Outlook podcast on the Russia/Ukraine conflict, Oliver Hartwich joins Ben Craven to discuss what has happened since. Were the meetings between Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Vladimir Putin constructive? And is Joe Biden right to warn of an imminent invasion?

The controversial Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act came into force from 1 December 2021. It has significantly changed how Kiwis gain access to credit. Ben Craven and Oliver Hartwich discuss the effects of the CCCFA with Lyn McMorran, executive director of the Financial Services Federation, a non-profit organisation representing New Zealand’s responsible non-bank financial institutions.

The European Union has recently labelled nuclear energy and natural gas as environmentally sustainable energy sources. What has led to this labelling and what does it mean for Europe’s energy future? Oliver Hartwich discusses the issue with Ben Craven.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope joins Oliver Hartwich and Ben Craven on the podcast to discuss the Government's proposed unemployment insurance scheme. What will it mean for employers and employees? And is there any real need for it in New Zealand?

The early 90s was the last time New Zealand’s Reserve Bank had to get high inflation under control. Does the agency have the will and determination for the fight three decades later? Matt Burgess speaks to Ben Craven about his latest NZ Herald column, "Why inflation looks here to stay".

On our latest episode of International Outlook, Ben Craven talks to Oliver Hartwich about the tumultuous leadership of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Oliver recounts his own interactions with the larger-than-life politician and explains what impact the latest lockdown party scandal will have on Boris’s leadership and the UK’s place on the global stage.