Dr Oliver Hartwich: A pessimist’s reasons to be optimistic in 2025

When Newsroom’s editor Jonathan Milne invited me to write one of two special pieces for the summer break, I faced quite the conundrum. My options were to review a work of non-fiction or write a column about hope and optimism for 2025.

I initially misread Jonathan’s request to review a work of fiction, which scared the hell of me because I have not read a novel for at least two decades. Fiction is just not me.

David Farrar: Reserve Bank out of control

I don;’t understand how the Reserve Bank is exempt from the restraint that applies to the rest of the public sector agencies. For 10 years the Bank ran well with around 250 staff and now it has almost 650.

Sunday January 26, 2025 

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John McLean: Hey pssst....New Zealand Law Society - You don't represent me

The New Zealand Law Society has enjoyed a fastish start to 2025. It has submitted on two pieces of proposed legislation, the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill and a discussion document on a proposed Regulatory Standards Bill. ACT Party leader David Seymour has promoted each.

This piece focuses on the Law Society’s crap submission on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill. But, make no mistake, its submission on the Regulatory Standards Bill discussion document is also just anti-Seymour ideological claptrap.

Darren Gee: A Golden Age for American Meritocracy

The inauguration of the 47th President of the United States was a moment that occupied the wild fantasies of millions of Trump supporters since November 2020, when Joe Biden was declared victorious and Trump’s political fortunes had seemingly run dry. All would testify to the surreal spectacle of when fantasy became reality this week, as Donald J. Trump was received by the current President, his Vice President, three former Presidents, the Supreme Court Justices and four of the five wealthiest people on Earth, and took the oath to return to the Presidency.

John Klar: Boston Proposes Regressive Sugar Tax

The unintended consequences of the nanny state.

Boston’s City Council is weighing a tax on sugary drinks to improve health, advance equity, and increase its coffers by tens of millions of dollars a year. Such progressive policies seek revenue in the name of rescue but inevitably inflict more significant inequities on the marginalized communities they purport to serve. A sugar tax is a regressive sin tax on the victims instead of the true sinners.

Dr Oliver Hartwich: Growth agenda needs fiscal consolidation

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s State of the Nation speech yesterday presents a clear shift towards economic growth. While familiar aspirational rhetoric featured prominently, his initiatives deserve support. However, the absence of fiscal discipline raises concerns.

The speech’s centrepiece announcements make sense. A dedicated investment promotion agency could help attract foreign capital, following the model of Ireland’s highly successful Industrial Development Authority (IDA). This reform is crucial. New Zealand currently ranks as the most restrictive OECD country for foreign direct investment.

Lushington Brady: Canadians Want What Americans Have Got

Donald Trump has only been president for days, and he’s already changed the world. In fact, he was doing so before he was even inaugurated for the second time.

Anticipating the Trump presidency, people across the Western world are shrugging off the pall of wokeness. Even Canadians rate Donald Trump twice as highly as their own recently departed prime minister.

Lindsay Mitchell: Absolute number on benefits at all-time high

Benefit numbers always rise in December driven mainly by the influx of students into the system.

Taking the seasonal rise into account, and comparing apples with apples, December 2024 nevertheless saw numbers exceed 409,000 - the highest absolute number ever.

 Saturday January 25, 2025 

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Dieuwe de Boer: The State of a Nation Left Behind

It’s been a good week for some. Our American cousins experienced the inauguration of President Trump 2.0, who unleashed an agenda of shock and awe on the woke managerial state. Rapid and radical change designed to put the focus back on America and unleash American excellence.

Point of Order: Commissioner recommends panel inquire into Judge’s conduct

• News from the Attorney-General –

The Judicial Conduct Commissioner has recommended a Judicial Conduct Panel be established to inquire into and report on the alleged conduct of acting District Court Judge Ema Aitken in an incident last November, Attorney-General Judith Collins said today.

Mountainside FM: Maori science - Kauri trees and whales are brothers

We have scientists and unbelievably even politicians get hooked by this bunch of manipulating Māori pantomime artists to provide a grant to massage the Māori scientific stupidity and this constant make-believe Māori science

Click then scroll down to listen to short audio
 

David Farrar: Inflation down but not out

The quarterly inflation rate of 0.5% and annual inflation rate of 2.2% is acceptable, even though a bit on the high side (I think the range should be 0 to 2%).

The breakdown annually is 4.5% for non-tradeables and -1.1% for tradeables. 4.5% is still too high and if I was the Reserve Bank I’d be tempted to only do a 0.25% drop in the cash rate.

Breaking Views Update: Week of 19.1.25

Saturday January 25 2025 

News:
Coalition pledge to fulfil infrastructure ‘oati’ to Rātana
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones has reaffirmed his commitment to assisting with the repair of critical infrastructure at Rātana Pā while also hinting at funding to assist in the building of a marae specifically for Te Hāhi Ringatū in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

David Bell: Child Sacrifice and Our Desire to Ignore It

Some actions of humans are so dark that we prefer to ignore them, avoiding the darkening of our own thoughts. When others assist us by denigrating truth-tellers or censoring news, we may be quietly grateful as life seems better when not intruded upon by the pain of victims or the abuse of their torturers.

Dr Guy Hatchard: New Data Sheds Light on a Cancer Epidemic That is Being Covered Up

In the 1980s, I bought a Casio handheld programmable calculator and amused myself writing routines that solved algebraic equations, but I soon realised that calculators turn off the thinking process.

The ubiquitous use of calculators in schools has since created generations of mathematically deficient graduates.

Dr Bryce Wilkinson: Transparency, not ideology - The case for the Regulatory Standards Bill

Misinformation about the pending Regulatory Standards Bill is rife. Currently, there is no Bill, only a departmental discussion document. Submissions closed on 13 January.

A Bill will need to be written, put to Cabinet, and taken to Parliament for a first reading. Public submissions to a Select Committee will follow. The public is not being shut out.

Kevin: Chris, You Are Not Meeting Your KPIs

I hate KPIs. They are difficult to define, hard to measure, costly to maintain and a complete waste of time and resources. They’re also a poor way to measure performance. Not giving enough parking tickets? Maybe it’s because fewer people are parking illegally!

And in case you’re wondering, I’m not alone.

 Friday January 24, 2025 

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