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Oliver Hartwich

About

Dr Oliver Hartwich is the executive director of the NZ Initiative, "a think tank that is a membership organisation; an association of business leaders that is also a research institute."

He is a German-born economist and former Chief Economist at Policy Exchange, Britain’s leading independent think tank. He was a Research Fellow in the Economics Program at the Centre for Independent Studies in Sydney and wrote, among many other things, a weekly column for the Australian Business Spectator.

He is also a member of the Economic Society of Australia, the Foreign Correspondents' Association, the Mont Pelerin Society and the German journalistic network Die Achse des Guten.

Member for

12 years

Latest articles

'The best political statement on urban development I ever heard'
Oliver Hartwich says the rest of Phil Twyford's housing policy is sufficiently ambitious and radical to solve NZ's housing problems without recourse to KiwiBuild
by Oliver Hartwich
47
Oliver Hartwich says the rest of Phil Twyford's housing policy is sufficiently ambitious and radical to solve NZ's housing problems without recourse to KiwiBuild
Dissecting the 21st century’s great untruths
Oliver Hartwich says a new book is required reading for anyone wanting to understand 21st century politics
by Oliver Hartwich
28
Oliver Hartwich says a new book is required reading for anyone wanting to understand 21st century politics
A Parliamentary chatbot
Oliver Hartwich suggests a solution to opposition MPs swamping new government ministers with thousands of questions of questionable worth
by Oliver Hartwich
Oliver Hartwich suggests a solution to opposition MPs swamping new government ministers with thousands of questions of questionable worth
New RBNZ Governor should ignore any dual mandate from the new Govt
Oliver Hartwich argues the best way for a central bank to achieve both low inflation and low unemployment is to make it pursue price stability alone
by Oliver Hartwich
6
Oliver Hartwich argues the best way for a central bank to achieve both low inflation and low unemployment is to make it pursue price stability alone
This week's guest Top 10
The New Zealand Initiative's Oliver Hartwich on liberalism in the trenches, elusive grains of sand, Islamic fashion, an apparently unfunny German, the decline of the white working class American man and more
by Oliver Hartwich
17
The New Zealand Initiative's Oliver Hartwich on liberalism in the trenches, elusive grains of sand, Islamic fashion, an apparently unfunny German, the decline of the white working class American man and more
Democracy with fewer elections
Oliver Hartwich likes democracy but not elections because of the way they bring good governmnet to a halt. He wants to endure them less frequently
by Oliver Hartwich
10
Oliver Hartwich likes democracy but not elections because of the way they bring good governmnet to a halt. He wants to endure them less frequently
Friday's Guest Top 10
Oliver Hartwich on capitalism by another name, explaining Trump, the perils of health hype, understanding inequality, Brexit's language barrier, Ikea economics and more
by Oliver Hartwich
55
Oliver Hartwich on capitalism by another name, explaining Trump, the perils of health hype, understanding inequality, Brexit's language barrier, Ikea economics and more
Friday's Guest Top 10
Oliver Hartwich on going to France if you want to work less, Don Brash's take on monetary policy when inflation won't budge, the economics of love, Vietnam's openness to the free market & more
by Oliver Hartwich
3
Oliver Hartwich on going to France if you want to work less, Don Brash's take on monetary policy when inflation won't budge, the economics of love, Vietnam's openness to the free market & more
Free tertiary education: Some personal reflections
Oliver Hartwich argues free university education is the reverse of income redistribution and a regressive policy
by Oliver Hartwich
33
Oliver Hartwich argues free university education is the reverse of income redistribution and a regressive policy
Why Europe failed, part VIII - the finale
Oliver Hartwich concludes his assessment of what whent wrong in Europe with the lessons for New Zealand
by Oliver Hartwich
13
Oliver Hartwich concludes his assessment of what whent wrong in Europe with the lessons for New Zealand
Why Europe failed, part VII
Oliver Hartwich argues the Eurozone crisis started on the day the Euro currency was introduced
by Oliver Hartwich
3
Oliver Hartwich argues the Eurozone crisis started on the day the Euro currency was introduced
Why Europe failed, part VI
Oliver Hartwich shows how Europe is proving that 'demographics is destiny' and the signs point to a more peaceful, less creative, less dynamic, and more risk averse place that has lost its mojo
by Oliver Hartwich
4
Oliver Hartwich shows how Europe is proving that 'demographics is destiny' and the signs point to a more peaceful, less creative, less dynamic, and more risk averse place that has lost its mojo
Why Europe failed, part V
Oliver Hartwich tracks the rise of the European welfare state driving spending and taxes to unprecendented levels - 'bread and circuses' to mask its structural flaws
by Oliver Hartwich
21
Oliver Hartwich tracks the rise of the European welfare state driving spending and taxes to unprecendented levels - 'bread and circuses' to mask its structural flaws
Why Europe failed, part IV
Oliver Hartwich says that with it's deeply embedded parochial regionalism, the EU just can't operate like a nation-state. Everyone is foreign to everyone else
by Oliver Hartwich
15
Oliver Hartwich says that with it's deeply embedded parochial regionalism, the EU just can't operate like a nation-state. Everyone is foreign to everyone else
Why Europe failed, part III
Oliver Hartwich argues 'democracy' operates quite differently in the EU, subservient to the goals of the European elites & voters are disengaged
by Oliver Hartwich
10
Oliver Hartwich argues 'democracy' operates quite differently in the EU, subservient to the goals of the European elites & voters are disengaged
Why Europe failed, part II
Oliver Hartwich leaves behind rose-tinted accounts of the history of European integration with a more realistic view of how they wandered into a dead end
by Oliver Hartwich
22
Oliver Hartwich leaves behind rose-tinted accounts of the history of European integration with a more realistic view of how they wandered into a dead end
Why Europe failed
Oliver Hartwich looks at the lessons New Zealand policymakers can take from Europe's woes
by Oliver Hartwich
24
Oliver Hartwich looks at the lessons New Zealand policymakers can take from Europe's woes
Friday's guest Top 10
Oliver Hartwich on doom and gloom in the global economy and the Donald Trump effect
by Oliver Hartwich
39
Oliver Hartwich on doom and gloom in the global economy and the Donald Trump effect
Profit is not a dirty word – not even in social services
Oliver Hartwich defends social bonds & hits back at 'misinformed and misleading' critics
by Oliver Hartwich
5
Oliver Hartwich defends social bonds & hits back at 'misinformed and misleading' critics
Time to take action
Oliver Hartwich looks deeper at the OECD Survey of New Zealand and finds a long list of previously ignored recommendations
by Oliver Hartwich
2
Oliver Hartwich looks deeper at the OECD Survey of New Zealand and finds a long list of previously ignored recommendations
How to build rational building expectations?
Oliver Hartwich disagrees with the RBNZ over how long it would take to fix the housing supply problem
by Oliver Hartwich
18
Oliver Hartwich disagrees with the RBNZ over how long it would take to fix the housing supply problem
Friday's guest Top 10
Oliver Hartwich on Greek WW2 reparation demands, house & house nots, blogging Ben Bernanke, the great stagnation, is one woman enough? Dilbert & more
by Oliver Hartwich
29
Oliver Hartwich on Greek WW2 reparation demands, house & house nots, blogging Ben Bernanke, the great stagnation, is one woman enough? Dilbert & more
Why spoil a stunning harbour?
Oliver Hartwich questions whether Auckland's port is in the right place
by Oliver Hartwich
8
Oliver Hartwich questions whether Auckland's port is in the right place
Services, an important but misunderstood part of the economy
How Alan Bollard’s jacket may help teach NZ how to be a service economy in the Asia-Pacific
by Oliver Hartwich
7
How Alan Bollard’s jacket may help teach NZ how to be a service economy in the Asia-Pacific
High hurdles for international newcomers
Oliver Hartwich looks at what NZ ought to do to attract the Ikeas of the world and stop being one of the most expensive places on earth
by Oliver Hartwich
13
Oliver Hartwich looks at what NZ ought to do to attract the Ikeas of the world and stop being one of the most expensive places on earth