The year of zoom

The year of Zoom Welcome to the November 2020 edition of the TDB Digest. For many of our readers, lockdown life this year saw just about everything moved to Zoom or other video-conference providers, from client meetings to team chats to Friday work beers. Despite the drop [...]

Market studies by the Commerce Commission

Market studies by the Commerce Commission The government has stated it will progress legislation to allow the Commerce Commission to undertake “market studies” of various sectors. But what are market studies; what will be the scope of such studies; who will be able to initiate them and [...]

Georgia – The Public Sector Balance Sheet

Georgia - The Public Sector Balance Sheet The New Zealand government currently owns thirteen state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The Georgian government on the other hand owns approximately 160 SOEs with a further 70-plus owned by local government. Over the last year, TDB director Phil Barry has had the [...]

State-owned enterprises in Georgia

State-owned enterprises in Georgia The New Zealand government currently owns thirteen state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The Georgian government on the other hand owns approximately 160 SOEs with a further 70-plus owned by local government. Over the last year, TDB director Phil Barry has had the opportunity to work [...]

The Mixed Ownership Model – did it work?

The Mixed-Ownership Model - did it work? In a recent article in the NBR entitled “SOEs’ selldown rewarded investors, not taxpayers”, Brent Sheather discussed the results of the selldown by the Crown of 49% of its shares in Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy and Mercury (the “Mixed Ownership [...]

The Wellbeing Framework

The Wellbeing Framework The Government’s wellbeing approach to its budget and policy-making has been held up as a world-leading new approach. But how new is it really, and most importantly, will it actually make us better off? In a recent article in the NBR, TDB Director Phil [...]