In this episode, Oliver, Michael and Eric discuss the recent elections in two eastern German states, Thuringia and Saxony, where far-right and populist parties like the AfD and BSW gained significant ground, while traditional mainstream parties performed poorly. 

They explore the reasons behind this political shift, including frustrations with immigration policies, economic challenges, and nostalgia for the former East Germany, while also examining the broader implications for German politics and drawing lessons for other democracies about the dangers of ignoring citizens' legitimate concerns.

Eastern German state elections reshape political landscape

In this episode, Michael and James talk to Oxford theologian Nigel Biggar as he discusses his experiences with academic cancel culture and argues that while the British Empire had significant flaws, it also helped spread important liberal values and institutions throughout the world.

The conversation then delves into how modern universities are struggling with free speech and academic discourse, suggesting that a combination of institutional cowardice, loss of religious frameworks, and generational disconnection from historical threats to democracy has led to current campus tensions around controversial topics.

Empire, Ethics, and Academic Freedom: A Conversation with Nigel Biggar

In this episode, marking the eve of the Berlin Wall's anniversary, New Zealand filmmaker Tony Forster joins Oliver to share his powerful experience of witnessing its fall on November 9, 1989. 

He reflects on the stark contrasts between East and West Berlin at that time and how this pivotal moment reshaped his personal outlook, deepening his belief in social responsibility and the importance of emotional expression.

To watch Tony Forster's documentary please visit: https://vimeo.com/video/187622046

The password to view the video is: AABDec2016

An Accidental Berliner

In this episode, Eric talks to Dr Dylan Mordaunt, a clinician and visiting fellow at Victoria University, about healthcare policy and regulation in New Zealand, sparked by a recent Niskanen Centre report highlighting how supply constraints affect healthcare delivery.

They explore various regulatory barriers affecting medical practitioners, scope of practice limitations, and access to medicines, while discussing how to balance public safety with increasing healthcare accessibility and capacity.

Read the Niskansen report here: https://www.niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Health-care-abundance-FINAL-3.pdf

https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz

Breaking Down Healthcare Supply Barriers

In this episode, Eric and Michael discuss Australia's proposed law to ban social media for under-16s, examining how age verification would likely require government ID and create serious privacy risks as platforms would need to store this sensitive data. 

While acknowledging concerns about social media's impact on young people, they argue the Australian approach could enable government surveillance, compromise online anonymity, and create technical challenges that would either be easily circumvented or impose heavy costs on legitimate users.

How would age limits for social media work?

In this podcast episode, Eric and Bryce discuss the history of regulatory reform efforts in New Zealand since 2001, focusing on the development of the Regulatory Standards Bill and its original mechanism of court declarations of inconsistency.

They explore how diminished trust in courts' interpretations of laws has complicated this approach today, while also examining why past attempts to ensure good regulatory quality have faced challenges.

The Long Road to Better Regulation

In this episode, Eric talks to Elizabeth Heeg from the Forest Owners Association about New Zealand's new restrictions on forestry in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

They discuss why using ETS controls to address local forestry concerns is problematic, examining implementation challenges and arguing that these issues would be better handled through local land use planning.

NZ's ETS Forest Controls

In this episode, Michael talks to Travis Brown, a filmmaker who explores how different ideologies can lead to polarisation and dogmatic thinking, drawing from his own experiences in both fundamentalist Christian and leftist circles.

The two discuss how growing political division threatens democracy and examine Brown's doco "When in Doubt," which demonstrates how embracing doubt and curiosity can lead to better understanding between people with opposing views, even if they don't ultimately change their minds.

Why Doubt Makes Democracy Stronger

In this episode, Oliver and Nick discuss the fundamental problems with New Zealand's local government system, particularly how elected officials often lack real power while unelected bureaucrats and chief executives wield excessive influence.

Nick's new report "Making Local Government Work" proposes five potential solutions, ranging from implementing a German-style "Super Mayor" model to giving councillors more oversight powers, with some reforms likely achievable under the current Government.

Read Nick's new report here: www.nzinitiative.org.nz/making-local-government-work

Making Local Government Work

In this episode, Eric talks to Chief Derek Epp of the Ch'iyáqtel (Tzeachten) First Nation about how his community gained extensive autonomy through Canada's First Nations fiscal institutions, enabling them to control their own zoning, development, and taxation.

Chief Epp explains how this framework helped his 750-member band transform from 90% federal dependency to 90% own-source revenue, manage 900 acres serving thousands of non-indigenous residents, restore traditional practices like fish weirs, and become a valued development partner to neighbouring municipalities.

From Dependency to Development: A First Nations Governance Success Story

In this episode, Oliver, Eric and Michael reflect on New Zealand's key policy achievements in 2024, including education reform, housing policy changes, and foreign direct investment liberalisation, while discussing the significant economic challenges facing the country.

They explore Ireland's successful foreign investment strategy, necessary reforms to address structural deficits, and New Zealand's position in international trade, ending with optimism about education improvements planned for 2025.

Eastern German state elections reshape political landscape

The New Zealand Initiative

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