NEW THIS WEEK

The inflation tax

Jordan Williams, Executive Director, Taxpayers’ Union

Politicians have a sneaky trick they don’t want you know about and it’s making you poorer. It involves inflation, and it means your taxes increase every year and you probably don’t even know about it. So how does inflation tax work?

Demonising the rich is a risky gamble

Graham Adams, Contributing Writer

Chris Hipkins and David Parker have handed the Opposition a stick to beat them with until the election.

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The power of the Pasifika vote

Ronji Tanielu, Community Worker

Whichever party can secure and win the bulk of the Pacific vote has a good chance of winning the election. But do our political parties understand the values and issues that are important to our Pasifika communities?

Equity or equality?

Dr Melissa Derby, Ngāti Ranginui, Senior Lecturer Waikato University

What happens when the focus of government and institutions shifts from providing equal opportunities to equal outcomes? Is attempting to bring about equal outcomes a good idea – or even possible? 

The Economic Miracle

Dr Oliver Hartwich, Executive Director, The New Zealand Initiative

In May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill led Britain to victory. He was celebrated as a hero, but only two months later, the Brits elected a new Parliament and a new Prime Minister, Clement Attlee. Attlee promised to rebuild the country by taking control of the British economy, but it was a disaster. Over in West Germany, they took a different approach and managed an economic miracle. So how is this history relevant to New Zealand today?

The soft bigotry of low expectation

Agnes Loheni, Entrepreneur, Qualified Chemical Engineer, Mum of 5, and Former MP

“Our children are inundated with messages that they will be preyed upon because of their race or other such perceived disadvantage. That any dreams or aspirations they might have for themselves must be tempered by a system that is rigged against them,” says Agnes. Find out more in this thought provoking video.

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Labour’s Three Waters refresh is a tragi-comedy

Graham Adams, Contributing Writer

The government’s disdain for democracy is a gift to National and Act.

The National Party and conservative values: A clash of interests?

Thomas Cranmer, Contributing Writer

As the pace of social change becomes more accelerated and, in some cases, radical, a lack of engagement on these issues by the National Party risks leaving their traditional voters feeling disillusioned.

Has government money corrupted journalism?

Graham Adams, Contributing Writer

The debate over co-governance draws attention to the role of the $55m media fund in shutting down dissenting views. Journalist Graham Adams investigates.

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How can education help our democracy?

Dr Michael Johnston, Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative

Hate speech and misinformation are both real and undesirable. But trying to curb them through criminal law risks undermining democracy. So what can education contribute to shoring up the foundations of an open society?

COMING SOON TO THE COMMON ROOM

NZ’s shameful health secret

New Zealand sits at the bottom of the western world for access to modern medicines. Pharmac decide what drugs we buy and when. So why aren’t Kiwis getting the medicines they need?

FEATURED PRESENTERS

Mike King

Karen Chhour