Ports: what role for mixed ownership?

Ports: what role for mixed ownership? The great majority of the international published and peer reviewed empirical literature finds that a degree of private ownership tends to improve firms’ performance on average and over time. Key reasons are that the incentives and ability to monitor 100% government-owned [...]

Councils’ heritage policies

Councils’ heritage policies In a recent report for the Voluntary Heritage Group, TDB analysed the policies and practices of all 67 district councils in relation to heritage properties – including for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (HNZPT) and non-HNZPT heritage-listed sites. We explored for each district council: [...]

How are the Government’s Commercial Businesses Faring?

How are the Government’s Commercial Businesses Faring? Currently, the government owns or part-owns eighteen large commercial businesses with combined assets totalling $78 billion. These businesses include three electricity generator/retailers, an airline, a post/courier company, a bank and minority stakes in three airports amongst other enterprises. Together these [...]

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 [...]

Improving local government funding

Improving local government funding The Productivity Commission is undertaking an enquiry into ways to improve local government funding. As part of a submission for Foodstuffs NZ, TDB analysed the use of development contributions (DCs) by local councils. Development contributions are a fee charged by councils on new [...]