Latest Posts

The politics of love and power

Opinion by Max Rashbrooke on July 21, 2019

In recent years the idea of love has become increasingly important in political thinking. It’s one of life’s main driving forces, of course. But it’s not a word that has in previous decades been much associated with politics. In the New Zealand context, Max Harris – channelling a range of thinkers including bell hooks –…

Wealth taxes

Opinion by Max Rashbrooke on May 19, 2019

Many people feel that, following the prime minister’s decision not to implement a capital gains tax while in power, there is no longer any prospect of taxing wealth in New Zealand. I beg to differ. While a capital gains tax is clearly off the table, the government has not ruled out other forms of wealth…

What does the public really think about a capital gains tax?

Opinion by Max Rashbrooke on April 12, 2019

Many claims have been made recently that a capital gains tax is dead in the water because the public is firmly against it. This is not so, however. While the tax is not wildly popular, there is a strong support base for it. The precise level of support is not easy to gauge, as none…

Social Income costings

Opinion by Max Rashbrooke on February 27, 2019

This week I’ve proposed a Social Income, essentially a more generous though means-tested unemployment benefit set at the poverty line of 50% of average income (currently $19,000 a year approximately) and available for people doing a range of socially useful activities, including caring for sick relatives, raising children and volunteering for a registered charity. For…

Talks and debates
worth going to

august, 2019

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Wanaka

1aug

Power to the People? - Wanaka

Event Details

Who controls what in our country — central or local government, the commercial sector, grassroots community? What does effective engagement look like, and how can leaders cut through the noise to uncover [...]

Event Details

All questions we’ll discuss with Max Rashbrooke, a sought-after journalist, economist, and government expert. He’ll share what other towns are doing to engage rapidly growing populations and influence change.

Time

(Thursday) 7:00 pm

Location

Armstrong Room, Lake Wanaka Centre

Wanaka

Otago University

5aug

Renewing democracy in a time of distrust - Dunedin

Event Details

OPEN SEMINAR In New Zealand, and elsewhere, there is widespread dissatisfaction with how governments operate. Attempting to make governments work more like markets has failed to deliver promised change. But deep [...]

Event Details

OPEN SEMINAR

In New Zealand, and elsewhere, there is widespread dissatisfaction with how governments operate. Attempting to make governments work more like markets has failed to deliver promised change. But deep democracy – which finds ways for citizens to come together, intelligently discuss issues, and directly shape policy – offers a way to create governments ft for the 21st century. Come and hear Max Rashbrooke discuss these exciting ideas and his new book Government for the Public Good: The Surprising Science of Large-Scale Collective Action.

Max Rashbrooke (Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, Victoria University of Wellington) is an awardwinning author, journalist and academic. A writer in Britain and New Zealand for the Guardian, the National Business Review and Metro, he has twice been the recipient of the Bruce Jesson Senior Journalism Award, and was a 2015 Winston Churchill Fellow.

Time

(Monday) 11:00 am

Location

Room 6N4, Richardson Building

Otago University

University of Otago, Corner of Union Street East and Leith Walk

5aug

Wealth taxes - Dunedin

Event Details

Prof Lisa Marriott and author Max Rashbrooke will discuss the pros and cons of wealth taxes in New Zealand, following the government’s backdown on a capital gains tax.

Time

(Monday) 6:00 pm

Location

Archway 2 lecture theatre

University of Otago, Corner of Union Street East and Leith Walk

Auckland

12aug

Wealth taxes - Auckland

Event Details

Prof Lisa Marriott and author Max Rashbrooke will discuss the pros and cons of wealth taxes in New Zealand, following the government's backdown on a capital gains tax. Time below is [...]

Event Details

Prof Lisa Marriott and author Max Rashbrooke will discuss the pros and cons of wealth taxes in New Zealand, following the government’s backdown on a capital gains tax. Time below is indicative only; details to follow shortly.

Time

(Monday) 6:00 pm

Location

Ellen Melville Hall

Auckland

Organizer

BWB