Expert analysis
02 Oct 2026
What political parties should consider for their AI election policies
Commentary: So far, most parties have yet to announce major policies regarding AI.
30 Sep 2026
Low productivity is NZ’s economic elephant in the room. Election pledges mostly avoid it
Yesterday’s Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update from the Treasury has given political parties their clearest picture...
29 Sep 2026
Lobbying reform gains cross-party support, but National and Act stay silent
Commentary: Opportunity and the Greens lead with comprehensive anti-corruption manifestos while the Government halts ref...
28 Sep 2026
What do NZ voters really care about? A global comparison reveals some surprises
Commentary: As New Zealand heads toward a general election, political parties are setting out their priorities and candi...
25 Sep 2026
Solar outshines political polarisation on energy and climate
Commentary: The take-home from our survey of political parties on climate mitigation and energy systems was that, troubl...
14 Sep 2026
Political polls have a science problem
Commentary: This general election will be close and opinion polls may make a significant difference to the outcome. We m...
13 Aug 2026
NZ wants a high‑tech future. Its proposed physics curriculum may make that harder
Commentary: New Zealand is placing big bets on science and technology, with plans to boost high-tech research funding by...
11 Aug 2026
NZ First says population trends are at a ‘crisis point’. The reality is not that simple
Commentary: NZ First’s announcement of a policy to encourage New Zealanders to have more babies was made with dramatic u...
10 Aug 2026
Money alone won’t secure NZ’s infrastructure
Commentary: Pouring billions into infrastructure can’t prevent disaster if NZ keeps waiting for assets to break.
08 Aug 2026
MMP needs fixing, not ditching
Commentary: Dr Michael Swanson argues Christopher Luxon’s call for an MMP referendum sidesteps critical electoral repair...
29 Jul 2026
The jury’s out on social media bans. Here’s a better idea NZ can borrow from Australia
Commentary: Protecting young people from the harms they can experience online is clearly important. But with so much foc...
26 Jul 2026
Time to modernise the institution of the opposition
Commentary: The terms ‘opposition' or 'leader of the opposition' get used constantly in political commentary, yet almost...