Does Foreign Investment Mean They're Controlling Us?

The Pros and Cons of Foreign Investment

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • January 2020

by Dr Don Brash

A few years ago, when I wrote my autobiography, I included a chapter called “The challenge of making economic policy in a democracy”. In that chapter, I tried to debunk a lot of commonly held myths about economic policy. There are lots of them: • “Gov…

House Prices, Again!

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • December 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Regular readers of “elocal” will think I have a fixation about house prices. I’ve written on the subject twice already this year, most recently just two months ago. But several things have prompted me to write on the subject again. First, despite all …

Let's Teach New Zealand History – All Of It!

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • November 2019

by Dr Don Brash

A few weeks ago, the Government announced that as from 2022 teaching New Zealand history would be a mandatory part of the school curriculum, at both primary and secondary level. As somebody who was an historian before he was an economist, I was delighted…

Kiwibuild's Gone, and The Government's Credibility with It

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • October 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Don Brash Opinion Piece Several months ago, it was abundantly clear that KiwiBuild was a complete failure. In the 2017 election campaign, the Labour Party’s biggest promise was to “deliver 100,000 quality, affordable houses for first home buyers over …

Should New Zealand stop exporting water?

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • September 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Don Brash Opinion Piece One of the issues almost guaranteed to provoke a strong reaction at many a social gathering in New Zealand is any suggestion that New Zealand should be exporting more bottled water. There have been noisy demonstrations in public,…

Despite the Slowdown, Auckland Land Prices Still Outrageous

Auckland land prices are still out of reach

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • August 2019

by Dr Don Brash

A few weeks ago, the New Zealand Herald carried an article by Dr Douglas Fairgray which seemed to argue that, when it comes to determining the price of houses, supply doesn’t matter. A few weeks ago, the New Zealand Herald carried an article by Dr Dougla…

Sack the A.T Board!

The Sins of Auckland Transport

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • July 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Don Brash Opinion Piece Driving around Auckland the other day, I saw that one of the candidates for the Auckland mayoralty is promising to sack the board of Auckland Transport. He’s got my vote was my immediate reaction! Of course, I know that the pe…

What Does the Christchurch Mosque Massacre Mean for Freedom of Speech in New Zealand?

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • May 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Last year, there was a lively debate in New Zealand about what should, and on the other hand what should not, be banned. Last year, there was a lively debate in New Zealand about what should, and on the other hand what should not, be banned. This wa…

Opening Another Can of Worms

Capital Gains Tax

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • April 2019

by Dr Don Brash

I have no difficulty understanding why many people are strongly in favour of a capital gains tax. They see a minority of New Zealanders enjoying the very good life, living in a luxurious home, going on international trips every year, driving a late model…

The Situation Could Hardly Be More Serious

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • March 2019

by Dr Don Brash

A few months ago, I wrote a column highlighting some of the serious things which are going on under our collective noses to provide, or in some cases, continue to provide special privileges to those New Zealanders who chance to have at least one Maori an…

The Banks Are Ripping Us Off! (Part II)

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • February 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Last month, I wrote about some common misconceptions about the profitability of the banks operating in New Zealand, and noted that the Big Four Aussie banks, while quite profitable compared with banks elsewhere in the world, are not wildly profitable in …

The Banks Are Ripping Us Off! (Part I)

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • January 2019

by Dr Don Brash

Every now and then, there’s a surge of concern, sometimes even anger, at the banks. They make too much money. Their profits go overseas. They no longer provide services in country towns. Their culture needs watching carefully by the regulators, lest …

Enough is Enough!

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • December 2018

by Dr Don Brash

Six months ago, I wrote a column about the five local referenda which defeated the attempt of five district councils to foist separate Maori wards on their districts. And about the open letter which Local Government New Zealand had written to the Govern…

Why Do So Many Of Us Feel We Can't Get Ahead?

Opinion • elocal Digital Edition • November 2018

by Dr Don Brash

In recent months, we have seen a rash of strikes – teachers and nurses in particular, with other sectors suggesting that they may strike also unless the people who work in those sectors get a substantial wage or salary increase. Of course, people say, t…

Free Speech Again

Opinion • elocal Franklin • October 2018

by Dr Don Brash

A couple of months back, I wrote a column about Phil Goff’s purported refusal to allow two Canadians to speak at an Auckland Council-owned venue (I say “purported” because, when challenged, Council lawyers eventually admitted that actually he had no powe…

Was Zero Out Of Ten Too Harsh?

Opinion • elocal Franklin • September 2018

by Dr Don Brash

A few weeks ago on a breakfast TV programme, I was provoked into quoting a recent assessment of the Key/English Government by Kerry McDonald, a former director of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, and chief executive or chairman of a number…

Do New Zealanders Really Want Political Structures Based On Race?

Opinion • elocal Franklin • June 2018

by Dr Don Brash

Late last year, five district councils – Western Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, Palmerston North, Manawatu and Kaikoura – voted to establish one or more Maori wards in their districts. The intention was that those on the Maori roll for Parliamentary election…