Articles in ‘Opinion’

In this opinion piece, Andy Loader examines Labour’s proposal to outlaw price gouging in essential goods and services. He questions how unfair pricing would be defined and argues that regulating prices could discourage supply without addressing the underlying causes of high living costs. Comparing the parties’ supermarket policies, Loader contends that taxation, regulation and broader economic policy deserve greater scrutiny. Labour have…

Subtitle · Biotechnology is moving beyond GM crops and into everyday products · Summary Intro · Dr Guy Hatchard argues that the debate over gene technology now extends far beyond genetically modified crops. He points to the growing use of biosynthetic compounds in cosmetics, food production, medicine and consumer products, questioning whether regulation and safety testing have kept pace. From hyaluronic acid to chemicals that alter fruit…

Andy Loader argues that New Zealand’s debate over the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori representation and co-governance has become increasingly disconnected from the principles of equal citizenship. Looking from the conflicts preceding 1840 through to today’s political institutions, he challenges prevailing interpretations of the Treaty and asks whether race-based representation and policy can be reconciled with a modern democracy in which every…

The Lake Waikare–Whangamarino Action Plan is intended to improve water quality across one of the Waikato’s most important catchments. But from the perspective of the primary land users who will be expected to implement and help pay for it, the plan risks imposing enormous economic and social costs while failing to address the problems landowners believe are driving the deterioration of the waterways. This “Action Plan” is, in my opinion,…

Dr Oliver Hartwich argues Election 2026 is becoming an auction of other people’s wealth, with parties competing over nationalisation, new taxes, subsidies and taxpayer-backed schemes. He warns that weakening property rights and redistributing existing wealth risks discouraging the investment New Zealand desperately needs. With productivity already trailing Australia, Hartwich says the priority should be growing the economic pie, not fighting…

Younger generations are ageing faster and experiencing rising rates of early-onset cancer, but what is driving the trend? Dr Guy Hatchard examines research into biological ageing and questions whether modern exposures — including industrially fermented ingredients increasingly found in cosmetics, foods and supplements — deserve greater scrutiny. He argues that rapidly changing manufacturing processes and biotechnology warrant far more…

Balancing the books is only half the job. Dr Oliver Hartwich argues that while National and Labour are focused on deficits, spending and taxation, New Zealand’s deeper challenge is declining productivity and competitiveness. He says restoring credible institutions, simplifying government and making ministers clearly accountable should be just as important as returning the budget to surplus. Over the past couple of weeks, the two major parties…

Guy Hatchard argues that New Zealand’s latest mortality figures should be treated as a warning sign, with deaths rising in the year to June 2026 while birth and fertility rates continue to fall. Pointing to excess mortality, cardiac and cancer concerns and unprecedented pressure from winter illness, he calls for Health NZ to investigate health outcomes by age, vaccination status and disease type, and make the findings public. The year ended…

Plan Change 1 aims to improve water quality across the Waikato, but Andy Loader argues its economic and social consequences have not been adequately considered. From rising compliance costs and threats to farming and food production to the impact on rural communities and exports, he questions whether PC1 is workable or affordable. He also argues that major contributors to declining water quality, particularly koi carp, remain inadequately…

Improving the health of Lake Waikare and the Whangamarino Wetland is an objective few people would disagree with. But environmental ambition does not remove the responsibility to demonstrate that the proposed actions will work, that the costs are justified, and that ratepayers and landowners can actually afford them. The Waikare-Whangamarino Draft Action Plan presented to Waikato Regional Council describes itself as non-regulatory but…