Nearly half of New Zealand’s prison population is on remand. But these units are not suitable for successful rehabilitation, and most people are not eligible anyway.
Articles on NZ Budget 2025
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KiwiSaver balances remain shockingly low, and constant changes risk undermining faith in a system that is already failing future retirees.
The National Party has always relied on electoral support from women. But that has eroded over time, and pay equity and KiwiSaver changes could hasten the decline.
As expected, Budget 2025 held few surprises, with spending aimed at promoting future growth rather than fixing more immediate problems.
It seems likely the government will focus on boosting business growth rather than raising new taxes. How it finances core operations remains the big question.
New Zealand trails far behind other wealthy countries in research funding and strategy. This inhibits the innovation that could drive a more productive economy.
New Zealand spends less on public health as a proportion of GDP than similar countries. Without a significant boost, the health system will remain stressed.
There’s no crystal ball when it comes to the future of New Zealand’s economy. But to understand the upcoming budget, people need to understand why forecasting is so hard.
Pay equity is not the same as equal pay, and is harder to calculate because women’s work is concentrated in low-paying industries. But without pay equity, all New Zealanders pay.
Austerity has become the global default response to tough economic times. But New Zealand should be prioritising investment over cuts to foster long-term growth.
Top contributors
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Professor of Economics, University of Waikato
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Senior Lecture in Sociology and Social Policy, University of Waikato
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Lecturer, Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology, University of Waikato
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Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management, University of Waikato
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Lecturer in Economics, University of Waikato
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Tim Tenbensel is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Professor of Taxation, University of Canterbury
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Professor of Finance, Auckland University of Technology
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Research Fellow, Public Policy Institute, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Professor of Politics and Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Lecturer, Public Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
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Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
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Associate Professor, Department of Economics, University of Otago
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Professor of Psychology/Security and Crime Science, University of Waikato