Most of us see student loans and mortgages as a burden, but the NZIER public good team says debt can be part of a long-term savings strategy. If you’re a young New Zealander, chances are you’re getting mixed messages about what to do with your money. On the one hand, you might’ve heard it’s your … Read more
Our two main political parties are pretty similar. The NZIER public good team uses an economic tool called Hotelling’s law to explain why National and Labour are creeping closer together. On October 17, we resident adults will elect New Zealand’s government to see us through the next three years, including what’s left of 2020 – … Read more
Despite global economic uncertainly, a new report shows New Zealand’s land-based industry exports are humming – with plenty of it still going to the world’s most populous country. What’s all this then? Much of New Zealand’s economy might still be spluttering from the fallout of Covid-19, but exports of meat, dairy and horticulture products have … Read more
Cycling is an unusually controversial topic. The NZIER public good team explains why the government invests in cycle lanes, and why they make some people so mad. Under lockdown, we saw nature healing. The air was fresh and clean, native birdsong filled our ears, and bikes returned to the roads. It’s not surprising that bike … Read more
Over lockdown, school, home and the office all merged into one place, affecting how we worked and when. The NZIER public good team explains why we need to rethink how we measure productivity. How productive was your lockdown? Now we’re in level two, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on the stuff we … Read more
Economists warn that house prices are about to see a sharp correction. The NZIER public good team explains why this is happening, and how we can handle it. For the first time in recent history, New Zealand has been preoccupied by something that isn’t the housing market. With the entire country locked down for four … Read more
The government provided a $12.1 billion stimulus package to cushion the blow of Covid-19. The NZIER public good team explains where that money is coming from, and how the whole thing works. Normal life is on hold. Buying and selling across New Zealand has ground to a standstill. While most of us attempt to do … Read more