Articles

Articles

Enjoy the articles written by our Content Team. If you have any questions or feedback, please email us at Content@publicpolicyclub.com

Opinion | The Green Party’s Rent Control Policy

By Aamy Roshan One of the greatest issues facing tertiary students is the ever increasing cost of living.​​ Stats New Zealand found that a quarter of renters spent 40 percent of disposable income on housing. In 2022, Auckland rent prices increased by 3 percent annually. To address this issue, the Green Party has introduced a new Renters’ Rights Bill, which would establish rent controls. But if implemented, what would this entail?   What is Rent Control? The current regulations on rental properties allows landlords to only increase rent prices once every 12 months. If renters feel that their rent is disproportionate

Retrospective: 40 Years Since Airline Deregulation | by Eden Li

Privatisation of the domestic airline scene has undoubtedly been financially lucrative for New Zealand’s two biggest players. In late August 2023, Air New Zealand announced a net profit of $213M (RNZ, 2023). Although finances are yet to be released for Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand operations, indications suggest that 2023 has also been a lucrative year for the Qantas subsidiary. Shareholders have mostly been elated by the stellar performances of both carriers so far this year, with Air New Zealand shareholders receiving plentiful dividends as an added bonus (RNZ, 2023).  However, the travelling public is less pleased. Both carriers have been

auckland central electorate debate 2023

PPC Auckland Central Electorate Debate 2023

Transcribed and edited by Nancy Guo Opening Damien Venuto: “My name’s Damien Venuto and I’m the host of New Zealand Herald’s Front Page podcast. When I first moved to New Zealand about a decade ago, I distinctly remember an ad campaign that spoke about making this country the most liveable place in the world. At the time, the creative agency behind the ad legitimately believed that we could take steps to become the most liveable place in the world.  But the reality is that that’s not the sense I’m getting in my conversations with people in the studio anymore. It’s

Opinion | Law and Order – Policy vs Reality

By Yvette Brennan ‘Tough on crime’ rhetoric is common among journalists, politicians and Facebook posts. With the increasing media coverage on “ram-raids” and guns, law and order has resurfaced as the controversial dinner table topic, but what does being tough-on-crime actually mean?  The phrase itself can be translated quite simply; longer sentences and harsher punishments will rid the streets of crime and restore safety to the public! Well – that’s the idea. The reality is not so simple. The core purpose of the criminal justice system is to prevent offending/reoffending, yet a meta-analysis of 116 studies suggest imprisonment has no

Co-governance: Friend or Foe?

By Eden Li Co-governance: Friend or Foe? The recent focus on strengthening co-governance within Crown policy has been received with both confusion, and even outrage in some quarters. But what does co-governance actually entail? Will this contentious form of policy work in practice? One of the biggest questions in public policy has become whether government entities should encompass novel co-governance models, or stick with the status quo. From the swirling response to Three Waters, to the tensions boiling over Te Urewera, co-governance has undoubtedly become one of the most polarising policy issues facing Aotearoa today. However, it is also simultaneously

The New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme: A Storied History

By Kaisheng Wu Among economists, carbon pricing mechanisms have often been touted as a singularly effective policy response to climate change. As such, the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) has been prioritised as the country’s key tool in meeting climate targets. Climate Change Minister, James Shaw, recently stated in April of this year that “a well-designed system for pricing emissions is a central part of our Government’s climate change policy framework”.1 Just a month later, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ sought to take the minister to court over the cabinet’s decision to ‘water down’ NZ ETS.2 Conversely, NZ ETS and other

Opinion | Dawn Raids 2.0: The Need for Overstayer Amnesty Schemes

By Aamy Roshan After our tumultuous history with the Dawn Raids era, overstayer amnesty has remained a sensitive topic. The Dawn Raids are what Dr Anae calls “the most blatantly racist attack on Pacific peoples by the New Zealand government in New Zealand’s history.” 1 It was a period in the 1970s that saw Pacific overstayers as the target of deportation over illegal overstaying, as police were given the right to stop people and ask for proof of legal status. Police powers were extended by the government so far as to allow them to enter the homes of individuals, without

‘Teaching the Basics Brilliantly’ – What is in National’s new education policy? 

By Sophie Steel With a promise to increase New Zealand’s literacy rates and classroom attendance whilst also scrapping teacher registration fees, the National Party’s new education policy has raised eyebrows nationwide.  The New Curriculum – ‘Teaching the Basics Brilliantly’ In a day of iPad kids and merged classrooms, the National Party have argued that the core fundamentals of education are getting lost. This factor drives the key part of their policy: a mandatory dedication of an hour to reading, an hour for writing and an hour for mathematics every day.   This comes at a time where recent pilot NCEA testing

Blog | Meet Your Mayor: Efeso Collins

Interview by Emilie Baldauf and Genna Hawkins Kia ora and welcome to the third and final instalment of Meet the Mayor. Voting for your local elections are now open and Public Policy Club is excited to introduce you to another leading mayoral candidates; finding out more about their policies and what they can do for you as a voter.  Today, we are joined by mayoral candidate Efeso Collins! Efeso is currently sitting councillor for the Manukau ward and previously has worked in a range of roles across the private and public sector, including a few at the University of Auckland! Today we

Blog | Meet Your Mayor: Craig Lord

Kia ora and welcome to the second episode of Meet the Mayor. With your local elections only weeks away, Public Policy Club is excited to introduce you to your leading mayoral candidates; finding out more about their policies and what they can do for you as a voter.  Today, we chatted with mayoral candidate Craig Lord! Today we are joined by mayoral candidate Craig Lord, a former engineer and a current freelance media operator, who is making a bold entry into the political world. Today we discussed Craig’s ambitions for his mayoralty, his vision for Auckland CBD, and his proposal for an independent

Blog | Meet Your Mayor: Viv Beck

Kia ora and welcome to the debut episode of Meet the Mayor. With your local elections only weeks away, Public Policy Club is excited to introduce you to your leading mayoral candidates; finding out more about their policies and what they can do for you as a voter.  Today, we chatted with mayoral candidate Viv Beck! Viv has had a diverse range of experiences across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, including her most recent position as Chief Executive of Heart of the City.  In our interview, we discuss her vision for Auckland, including what her mayoralty would mean for

Blog | Three Waters Reforms: The Solution to Our Water Woes?

Written By Samuel Hill In June, the Government introduced its first piece of legislation as part of its planned Three Waters Reform Programme [1]. There is general consensus that reform is needed in the water sector, but the response to the proposed reforms has been mixed.  The Case for Reform The ‘three waters’ being referred to here are wastewater, drinking water, and stormwater, each requiring infrastructure to adequately deal with them. This infrastructure is often neglected, however. Pipes and underground networks are less visible to the public and to local councils, resulting in a tendency to pay less attention to

Blog | Proposed Changes to Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children 

By Simran Sonawalla  A new law designed to improve the oversight of agencies responsible for protecting children, and young people who are at-risk is currently being debated in parliament. As it stands, there have been several critiques and support for this bill.  The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System and Children and Young People’s Commission Bill aims to establish independent monitoring and complaints oversight for Oranga Tamariki, with the overarching goal of providing greater advocacy for children and young people’s issues [1].  This Bill proposes to:  Establish the office of the Independent Monitor of the Oranga Tamariki System to assess how

Blog | Māori Health Authority: Bureaucracy?

Written by Shirin Ranjbar The New Zealand government is due to abolish the twenty District Health Boards by July this year. The new health system will include a new Māori Health Authority. Instead of twenty different decision makers, the country will have a singular decision maker.  The current system is characterised by fragmentation, where a decision that could be made once is made multiple times. The emergence of the proposed Māori Health Authority has come after years of outrage over the health system’s breaches of Te Tiriti. Māori suffer from poor health outcomes under a variety of measures. For starters,

Blog | Search and Surveillance; the price of safety?

Islamic Women’s Council national co-ordinator Aliya Danzeisen. [xvi] By Jingshu Xu The Search and Surveillance bill [i] will be up for review this year as part of the government’s response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry’s recommendations about the Christchurch masjidain terrorist attack on March 15, 2019[ii] [iii]. The bill was originally created in 2012 and allows law enforcement to carry out a warrantless search of a person or property if they suspect a licensed gun owner is in danger of harming themselves or others, allowing the police to move quickly and initiate searches without oversight of the courts[iv]. The

Blog | Speak For Yourself: Balloting the House of Representatives on their Speaker 

The Right Honourable Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the House of Representatives By Nicholas Langrell-Read I The Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives (herein the House) holds an important constitutional office and performs crucial roles with regard to the functioning of the House. Two such roles are chairing meetings of and maintaining order in the House. Necessary for these roles is interpretation of the rules and traditions that govern the conduct of the House, thereby defending the rights and privileges of Members of Parliament (MPs). Despite being elected as an MP, according to the political will of the electorate,

Blog | “New Zealand’s Moonshot”: The Road To Predator Free 2050

Written by Ethan McCormick  In 2016 the John Key government announced that New Zealand would eradicate all rats, possums, and mustelids by 2050. It’s a goal of mind-boggling scale that was dubbed “New Zealand’s moon shot” by the late Sir Paul Callaghan [1]. Since the announcement, the mission of Predator Free 2050 has received support from a range of stakeholders. However, success hinges on a major breakthrough in pest eradication within the next thirty years. With the 2050 deadline fast approaching, will New Zealand achieve a world first?   A Forgotten Past Isolated for from the southern continents for 80 million

Blog | Attorney-General, David Parker, rejects Rotorua District Council Representative Arrangements Bill

Pictured above: David Parker, Attorney-General of New Zealand.  By Emilie Paris Baldauf  The Rotorua District Council Representative Arrangements Bill was drafted by the Rotorua Lakes Council and brought to Parliament by Rotorua-based Labour MP Tamati Coffey. It would grant 21,700 Māori roll voters three seats in the electorate, the same number of seats given to the 55,600 General roll voters [1]. The Bill’s purpose is to change the electoral rules for the district to provide the “Council’s ideal representation arrangement” for the Rotorua District [2]. This arrangement would allow the Māori roll and General roll to have an equal influence

Blog | Multiple Sides to Every Story: Revamping the New Zealand History Curriculum

By Simran Sonawalla After three years in the making, Hon Chris Hipkins announces the release of Aotearoa New Zealand history curriculum, which will be compulsory in every school throughout years 1 to 10 [1]. The programme — officially known as Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories/Te Takanga o Te Wā — is part of the social sciences learning area of The New Zealand Curriculum, which will be taught in all schools and Kura from 2023 [2].  Announcing the new curriculum, Hon Chris Hipkins says that ‘All young people will understand key aspects of Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and how they have influenced

Blog | Everything You Need to Know About Auckland Light Rail

An artist’s depiction of light rail in Mt Roskill [1]. By Samuel Hill After several years of talks about light rail coming to Auckland, the Government confirmed earlier this year that work will proceed on a partially-tunnelled light rail line extending from the CBD to Auckland Airport [1]. The project has been the subject of much debate and it is worth exploring the history and goals of the project to see how the current proposal has taken shape. The Beginnings of Light Rail in Auckland When people think about rail, the first thing that comes to mind is probably heavy

Blog | The Black Gold: A Look Into New Zealand’s Fuel Resilience Among Shifting Global Winds. 

By Raphaël Rauner As the Russo-Ukrainian conflict intensifies, the global geopolitical narrative is shifting. It impacts every actor on the world stage- from small to large. It also raises questions about New Zealand’s place in the world and our dependence on international partners. This article is not about foreign policy. It’s about New Zealand’s fuel resilience and future without an oil refinery.  This fuel resilience issue arose in August 2021 when Refining NZ decided to close the Marsden Point Oil Refinery for cost reasons. The ensuing months saw the Cabinet’s refusal to intervene and keep the refinery operating (RNZ, 2021).

Blog | Firearm Protection Orders: A Silver Bullet for New Zealand’s Gun Violence?

By Maddison Lewis Gun violence has become a prominent issue in the public eye. In 2020, New Zealand saw a record-breaking level of gun violence, and Auckland saw a 49 percent increase in firearms-related injuries over a year and a half at the end of 2021 [1]. Against this background, the Justice Select Committee is currently taking submissions on a new bill that would introduce Firearms Protection Orders (FPOs) into the criminal justice system.  The bill, known as the Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Bill, would allow courts to issue an FPO to adult offenders convicted of specified offences if such

Blog | Do Planning Reforms Spell An End to the Housing Crisis?

Amendments to the Resource Management Act (RMA) promise up to 105,000 houses over eight years [1]. But are these changes going to help end New Zealand’s housing crisis? By Charlie Matthews The Changes Parliament has recently passed the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. The main aim of the changes is to cut the red tape, or the number of rules and procedures, to follow when building houses. Removing such rules is expected to make it cheaper and easier to construct more homes. The changes include allowing townhouses of up to three storeys and up to

Blog | Government Seeks to Repeal Three Strikes Law

The government is seeking to repeal the controversial three strikes law, which mandates maximum penalties for third-time violent offenders. The debate over the proposed repeal has raised claims that the three strikes framework disproportionately impacts Māori, that it is in breach of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, and that the sentencing law is ineffective at reducing recidivism. This article will explore the arguments around those claims and what repealing this law means for New Zealand.  By Maddison Lewis  What is the Three Strikes Framework?  It all starts with a baseball analogy. A batter, a fielder, and a ball.

Blog | Inflation in Aotearoa: The Facts, The Roots, and Policy Responses.

By Matt Fletcher The complex realities of Covid-19 have had profound effects on economies across the globe – impacting consumers directly in their pockets. Disruptions to supply chains, shifts in consumer spending, and heightened government expenditure have culminated in decades-high inflation. These figures scarcely remain absent from headlines, from the United States witnessing annual inflation of 7% for 2021, to the United Kingdom’s rate at 5.4%. Aotearoa’s inflation rate for 2021 was 5.9% – the highest in over three decades.[1] Increasing household costs have disproportionate adverse impacts on low-income households and young people.[2] Understanding the root causes of inflation –

Blog | A Game Between the Haves and the Have-nots: A look into legal aid

Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann has said the legal aid system is “broken” and on the brink of “collapse” (Hancock, 2021). Have successive governments driven the system into crisis as CJ Winkelmann alludes? Is the system now a game between the haves and the have not? This article will take a closer look at the current legal aid framework. By Raphaël Rauner Before diving into the depths of this issue, it is important to understand what legal aid entails and the public policies behind it. In a snapshot, the current framework was created by the Legal Aid Act of 1969 as

Trans-Tasman Bubble: A Bubble Worth Popping?

COVID-19 is one of the most defining issues in recent history. What seemed like a distant problem that propped up in Wuhan, China, in 2019, quickly transformed the world – locking down countries, economies, and borders.

Understanding the Public Sector Wage Freeze

By Cole Reyno On 4 May, the Labour Government announced a three-year extension to the public sector pay freeze. This freezes the wages of public sector workers earning over $100,000 per year, and most earning over $60,000 per year except in “exceptional circumstances”.[1] This policy will largely impact those workers described as Labour’s traditional voter base, and thus begs the question of why such a policy has been decreed.[2] Public Service Minister Chris Hipkins has called the wage freeze “the opposite of austerity”, arguing that wages will increase for lower-income workers rather than those with higher income.[3] While it is

Shift in Foreign Policy: New Zealand, Five Eyes, China and the Uyghur:

By Sara Khatau New Zealand, though a small country, has gained a big reputation for being a moral superpower. In the aftermath of the March 15th terror attacks, the world celebrated New Zealand’s strong rejection of Islamophobia. New Zealand recently signalled a desire to assert its brand of value-based politics at the Christchurch call. However, there seems to be a growing discrepancy between our foreign policy and that of our Five Eyes allies: the UK, US, Canada and Australia. Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing alliance that emerged as a result of post-Cold War politics. Over the past decade, mounting Chinese

Blog | Experts on Housing Policy Reform

On March 23rd the Government announced a package of policies designed to improve housing affordability and slow down the rapidly increasing price of property. We’re here to break that down and see what the experts think. What is the government actually trying to accomplish? We need to firstly define what the government sees as the goal of these policies and the housing market at large. New Zealand has a housing income-to-price ratio of 6.8 and is considered to be ‘extremely unaffordable’ – particularly in Auckland where that ratio is 10.0. However, it isn’t actually a goal of the government to

DELEGATE APPLICATIONS FOR 2021 ARE NOW OPEN!!

APPLY TO BE A DELEGATE HERE The Public Policy Club has some amazing initiatives planned for 2021, and we’d love to give our wonderful members the opportunity to be involved! There are THREE distinct roles that you can apply for: a High Schools Coordinator, a Content Creator, or a Competitions/Event Coordinator High Schools Coordinator Tertiary Coordinator Our tertiary team delivers our monthly Political Forum that features a topical and interesting political issue. The Political Forum is a space for people to have open and informed dialogue about different policy issues. This programme will be overseen by amazing Tertiary Leads, Phoebe Cettina

Meet the PPC Executive for 2021!

CO-PRESIDENTS Hi everyone! My name is Heejoo and I’m a fourth-year Law and Arts student, majoring in Politics and Sociology. I joined PPC because I believe in the power of youth engagement in politics. I am especially passionate about women’s rights and fair criminal procedure. In my spare time I like listening to music, going to the gym and thrift shopping. I can’t wait to meet you all and lead an amazing year at PPC with Na-Young! Kia Ora! I’m Na-Young and am in the process of completing my law and arts degree majoring in criminology and politics. I am

Blog | Leaving 2020 Without an EU-NZ Free Trade Agreement in Sight

By Callia Drinkwater Bested only by China and Australia, the European Union is New Zealand’s third-largest trading partner. [1] In 2008, New Zealand entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China, [2] and in 2018 an agreement with Australia, but in 2020 we’ve still got standard tariffs with Europe. From the outset, it would seem that the EU and NZ both have similar environmental and social objectives and policies, and want to push back against protectionism. So why was the eighth round of discussions concluded in July of 2020 with no agreement to show? Three big issues stand in the

Blog | Road to Reconciliation: Theorizing Rwanda 1994 and Post-Conflict Resolution

By Pau Sicat The Rwandan genocide in 1994 is widely regarded as the deadliest and “the fastest mass killing in history”. It was led by the Rwandan military with at least 600,000 Tutsis and Hutus killed within the short span of a few months. To answer what the common causes of genocide are, we can identify various political, economic or ideational conditions that may have allowed and caused the Rwandan society at the time to become genocidal.  Defining Genocide According to the UN, Genocide can be defined as: “acts committed with the intent to exterminate, in whole or in part,

Apply to be in the Public Policy Club Exec for 2021!

The Public Policy is opening Executive Committee positions for 2021! We are looking for passionate and self-led students to be a part of our team. In this role, you can work with other PPC team members to create content, competitions or events that increase youth engagement with public policy. You should be able to take the initiative to manage your team and your relevant projects, as well as collaborate with other teams. It’s important that you understand your commitments beforehand and can attend regular team and committee meetings. Every role will have delegates available to support them. We’re open to discussing

Blog | Nothing To Lose: Lessons from Portugal’s Drug Policy Reform

By Pau Sicat It is quite rare that a government would propose drastic solutions like decriminalising all drugs as a way to alleviate the country’s drug problems, yet Portugal has done just that. Current day Portugal is like a dream come true for recreational drug users. In 2001, the government decriminalised all drugs, and sought to implement drug policies which effectively shifted the government’s focus from penalising recreational drug use and redirected it towards more rehabilitative measures that focus on health, treatment and reintegration. However, the question on whether or not Portugal’s drug reform would bring about similar success in

Blog | Governing In Times Of Crisis: Poll Booster?

By Nick Howell Labour is leading the pack coming up to the general election of 17 October. How have they gained such a formidable lead? Is it due to their handling of the COVID-19 crisis or the fumbling of the National Party? Labour is contesting the upcoming election from an unprecedented position of power; the most recent Colmar Brunton One News Poll put them at 53 percent – dwarfing National’s 32 percent [1]. What led to such a result? Is Labour’s polling proportionate to their performance in dealing with Covid-19? Or, are New Zealanders clinging to familiarity in a time

Blog | Green Doctors: How Medical Marijuana is Progressing in New Zealand

by Callia Drinkwater If the cannabis referendum pamphlet seemed slightly out of touch to you when it claimed that “The proposed Bill does not cover medical cannabis… These are covered by existing laws.” you’re not alone. New Zealand legalising medicinal marijuana slipped entirely under the radar for many, and for good reason – it only came into force on the 1st April 2020, six days after the beginning of lockdown and more pressing matters were occupying the headlines. While we now look ahead to the 2020 election, with two incredibly controversial ballots attached, it’s time to reflect on how the

Blog | The New Party on the Block: Who are the Sustainability party?

By Callia Drinkwater Since the 2017 election, six new parties have registered to be included on the 2020 ballot. Among these are a variety of Christian value parties, centerism parties, and a conspiracism party. A familiar face can be found in the Sustainable New Zealand Party, led by former Green Party MP, Vernon Tava. The party was created in August of 2019, and has received a mix of support and pushback from both sides of the benches. The question for those involved in the 2020 general election is whose votes are at stake to the new arrival – if any?

Blog | Baby Back Benches: Aryana from Young National

This is the fifth of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. If you’d instead like to listen to our complete conversation click here By Paul Simperingham, interview with assistance from Liam Davies Liam and I interviewed Aryana together so that at least once an interviewee would get to see that we both did in fact exist. Aryana was the chair of the Alfred Street Young Nationals in 2019, however, since then she

Blog | Bants with the Baby Back Benches: Artie of TOP on Campus

This is the sixth and final of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. If you’d instead like to listen to our complete conversation click here By Liam Davies Artie, President of The Opportunities Party (T.O.P) on campus, turned up to the interview sporting a T.O.P t-shirt, he said he wears them everywhere, and a different one everyday. If this doesn’t show commitment to the party, I don’t know what does! T.O.P is

Blog | Bants with the Baby Back Benches: Adam of Princes Street Labour

This is the third of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. This edition is with Adam Brand, the Chair of Princes Street Labour If you’d instead like to listen to our complete conversation click here By Liam Davies, interview by Paul Simperingham Paul started by asking Adam why he chose to join young Labour and why he became Chair. Adam described his upbringing, stating that he came from a traditional Labour background.

Blog | Bants with the Baby Back Benches: Felix of Young ACT

This is the fourth of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. This edition is with Felix Poole, the President of Young ACT NZ If you’d instead like to listen to our complete conversation click here By Paul Simperingham PCC So first of all, how did you get involved with Young ACT? Felix   I got involved all the way back in 2017. There wasn’t really a Young ACT or an ACT on campus

Blog | Bants with the Baby Back Benches: Jay of Young New Zealand First

This is the second of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. This edition is with Jay McLaren-Harris the chairperson of Young New Zealand First. By Paul Simperingham   PCC First question, how did you get into the business you’re in? What drew you to New Zealand First? Jay   I grew up in Dargaville, and when the Northland by-election happened and Winston won the election, that was kind of my first taste

Blog | Bants with the Baby Back Benches: Natalie of Greens on Campus

This is the first of our Bants with Baby Back Benches interviews. Through this series we want our readers to get to know the youth leaders of our political parties, ready for our eventual youth leaders debate, and the upcoming election. If you’d instead like to listen to our complete conversation click here By Liam Davies On the day of our interview, Natalie, Co-Convenor of Greens on Campus, and I attended our mutual friend’s campaign launch, for a party I will not mention and of which neither of us belong. Having arrived at the launch and after sitting through a couple of

Blog | The Struggle for Change: Is it Time?

The widespread protest regarding the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesotan police officers has brought the issue of systemic racism – both in America and NZ – into the open. Can we make a change? New Zealand’s history of social activism suggests yes. By Nick Howell The killing of African-American George Floyd on May 25 has brought the issue of systemic racism squarely into the spotlight, with many seeing how differently minorities are treated in the Western world. Many are showing their frustrations at systemic injustice through wide-scale protest and rioting, mostly throughout the cities of America

Blog | The Dragon and the Kiwi: Where are NZ-China Relations headed?

By Liam Davies As New Zealand’s battle with COVID-19 comes to an end, is an economic battle on the horizon? Comments made by Winston Peters have created quite the fuss with China. How will NZs economy fair as China decides how to respond?  A few ‘wrong’ statements A word that comes to mind when thinking about the political career of Winston Peters is ‘provocative’. Peters, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, did not miss that mark when he commented on Taiwan’s participation status in the World Health Organisation (WHO)[1]. Although Peters states he has supported Taiwan

Blog |Left Behind: The Story of New Zealand’s Gig Workers

By Avinash Govind Left Behind: The Story of New Zealand’s Gig Workers Earlier this year, amid the unveiling of the government’s COVID-19 economic response packages, many individuals in a small but growing section of our workforce were left without the ability to access the wage subsidy scheme. While the government programs were designed to ease the burden faced by workers and businesses across the country; New Zealand’s gig workers were left with little help. Though the causes of this issue have to do with an understandable oversight in the implementation of the scheme, given that it took place during the

Blog |Evidence-based Policymaking, A Double-edged Sword?

The potentiality and limitations of the role of evidence on decision-making in policy formulation By Pau Sicat In light of the recent rapid changes happening around the world due to COVID-19, many are arguing that adopting a purely evidence-based policymaking approach is required. That it has become more crucial than ever that evidence and science should be guiding the government response. For most, it would be easy to presume the role of evidence in policymaking taking centre-stage. That policy actors, such as politicians or even institutions, could simply make decisions based on scientifically-backed data provided to them by experts. However,

Blog | The New Health and Wellness Commission

By Callia Drinkwater While the sixth week of lock-down comes to a close and the number of COVID-19 continues to fall, the fight  is far from over. From the economy to domestic violence, the lock-down has touched every aspect of our lives. For the majority of us, the psychological impact of social distancing, falling job prospects, and an uncertain future will play on our minds and make staying mentally healthy significantly more challenging. We can see this reflected in the 50% increase in texts received by Youthline from young people. One in four of these concerned depression, self-harm, anxiety, or

Blog | The COVID-19 Economy: The Crisis and the Government’s Response

By Paul Simperingham COVID-19 has and will continue to have a drastic impact on the New Zealand economy. Global travel has ground to a halt, trade has been reduced, people have lost jobs, and the stock market is extremely volatile. OECD secretary-general Angel Gurria has warned that the economic fallout of this virus will last far longer than the pandemic itself [1]. New Zealand’s current level 4 alert level and lockdown will likely end on the 23rd of April. After that, it’s unknown what will happen. It will likely be a descent down alert levels, and it could be a

2020 Delegate Applications Now Open!

The Public Policy Club has some amazing initiatives planned for 2020, and we’d love to give our wonderful members the opportunity to help out! There are 3 distinct roles that you can apply for: an Event Organiser, a High Schools Coordinator, or a Content Creator. APPLY TO BE A DELEGATE HERE Content Creators Positions available: 6-10 The content team will write engaging and thought-provoking articles for the PPC content website and Facebook page. This may also organise crowdsourcing content from other university groups. The team will also be involved in the process of creating and contributing to a PPC newsletter.

Apply to be in the Public Policy Club Exec for 2020!

The Public Policy is opening Executive Committee positions for 2020! We are looking for passionate and self-led students to be a part of our team during a critical election year. In this role, you can work with other PPC team members to create content, competitions or events that increase youth engagement with public policy. You should be able to take the initiative to manage your team and your relevant projects, as well as collaborate with other teams. It’s important that you understand your commitments beforehand and can attend regular team and committee meetings. Every role will have delegates available to

Blog | Local Election Watch 2019: Electing the Leaders of Our Healthcare System

By Yi Xin Heng Healthcare remains a perennial concern of New Zealanders, which is why the local elections for District Health Board (DHB) candidates should be closely watched. Candidates will be competing against a backdrop of mounting dissatisfaction expressed by both DHB employees and the public. In 2018, for instance, 30,000 nurses were involved in a pay dispute and went on strike, [1] while 3,300 junior doctors deployed the same tactics to negotiate better working conditions in January this year.,[2] Candidates will have to contend with the frustrations expressed by mental health service users, which were brought to light by

Blog | Local Election Watch 2019: Declining Voter Turnout – Causes and Solutions

By Paul Simperingham Voter turnout for local elections in New Zealand has been falling since the 1980s, with the 2019 Auckland race set to be the lowest in our city’s history. From 1989 to 2016, mayoral turnout has gone from 57% to 42%, and council voter turnout has fallen from 56% to 43% [1]. Meanwhile, the 2019 election in Auckland is showing a turnout of 6.04% as of September 30th, a number which the three previous local elections all beat [2]. General election turnout has also been falling, but not to the same low levels [3], and  it appears to

Blog | Local Election Watch 2019: The Role of Mayor

By Jonathan de Jongh With voting papers now out, the local elections offer important decisions regarding local government for the coming few years. Auckland is currently facing issues regarding transport, housing, the environment, and social policy. It is the Council’s role, along with its members and civil servants to implement strategies that help better the Auckland region its members, and all of the civil servants that help keep the city running. A role heard about frequently which people often do not know about is the Mayor for Auckland Council. As Mayor of the largest and most populous city in New Zealand,

Blog | Local Election Watch 2019: Protecting the Natural Environment

By Alfred Kim Auckland Council’s Pre-Election Report stated that “there’s more that could be done; the challenge [of protecting our natural environment] is to decide what should be done and how.”[1] This article will highlight the solutions that mayoral candidates have for this challenge. For further information on these environmental policies and more, you can get in touch with the candidates, contact details are provided from the website. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/top/309544/more-high-density-housing-for-auckland Tricia Cheel – STOP Trashing Our Planet Cheel says that she is “standing to give voters the opportunity to take full responsibility for the legacy we are leaving future generations and ALL life

Blog | Local Election Watch 2019: The ABC’s of the Auckland Race

By Ellis Pike So, you’re enrolled to vote in the local elections? For most people, probably not, and for those who are, you might not know what’s going on. This article will outline the key things to know and the websites to visit to best use your vote. The first step when looking into the local elections should be determining the ward and board that you are in. This is based on where you live. Auckland Council has a search bar that will tell you what ward and board you are in.[1] Once you know this, you can see who is

Blog | Auckland’s Economists on New Zealand: Policy Problems, Solutions, and Misconceptions

By Paul Simperingham Recently, Paul Simperingham of the Public Policy Club’s content team sat down with three of the University of Auckland’s most prominent economists to discuss pressing policy matters in New Zealand and around the globe today. Meet the Economists Dr Asha Sundaram is a senior lecturer in the University of Auckland’s Economics Department, where she focuses on international trade and development economics.  Dr Sundaram grew up in Mumbai where she first became interested in economics and trade when she saw how India changed completely when it opened up to trade in 1991. From there she studied at the

Blog | Wellbeing Budget 2019: The Five Priorities

By Alfred Kim The New Zealand Government proposed a new approach to the Budget on 30 May 2019: one that aims to instil hope for better “living standards over the long-term,” by providing support for the “many possible definitions of wellbeing.” This purpose of this article is to make sense of how the Government plans to achieve these aims. The Budget Policy Statement introduces key concerns of New Zealand Wellbeing, including: “In any 12-month period, about one in five New Zealanders will have a diagnosable mental illness, with three-quarters of lifetime cases starting by the age of 25.” “Material standards

Blog | Three Environmental Policies to Watch

By Yi Xin Heng When asked to identify the biggest existential threat to the United States, four candidates in the first night of the US Democratic Debate firmly uttered “climate change”.[1] Such recognition is no surprise at a time when local councils have been declaring climate emergencies, Europe is hit by searing temperatures and the world is grieving for the first glacier lost to global warming.[2] Perhaps this sense of urgency has been bolstered by the hard-line rhetoric employed by climate change denialists in office – such as Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro. In New Zealand, the Government has consistently

Blog | The End of Life Choice Bill and Euthanasia

By Ellis Pike The End of Life Choice Bill is a private member’s bill introduced by ACT Party leader David Seymour in 2017. It passed its second reading on the 26th of June and is now before the Whole House Committee for review. Considering the controversial nature of this Bill, this article will clarify its content, as well as the process and safeguards that it currently would establish. Arguments for and against euthanasia, and the approaches that other countries have taken, will be assessed as well. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/07/euthanasia-eligibility-changes-made-in-david-seymour-s-end-of-life-choice-bill.html   The Bill: 1. Who is Eligible: Section 4 outlines that only  New

Blog | Saving Face – Social Media, Photos and Privacy Issues Facing New Zealand

By Jonathan de Jongh The popular mobile app ‘FaceApp’ has come under fire recently after a media scare alluded to the app being able to collect sensitive information from the phones of its users. Allegedly, the app has the ability to access photos on the phones of its users, even those that were not used for the app’s entertaining purposes – aging, de-aging, and gender reversing faces.[i] The sweeping phenomenon of seeing what we’ll look like in 70 years attracted such celebrities as Kevin Hart, Miley Cyrus, and Gordon Ramsey, and FaceApp allowed users to use its features on any

Blog | The Implications of Artificial Intelligence in Public Policy

By Alfred Kim The future holds exciting prospects with the development of artificial intelligence (AI). Public policy will have to develop accordingly to facilitate this new tool; AI may also become an asset for public policy itself. There is a common misconception that there have been signs of conscience development. Although no one is ruling out the possibilities of science fiction becoming a reality, recently published papers show that AI entities only perform tasks involving human level intelligence, without human consciousness. Automation and AI are used interchangeably, but it is important to distinguish the two. AI entity involves machine learning,

Blog | The Speech Coin: Freedom v Hate

By Ellis Pike In the wake of the horrific Christchurch attacks on the 15th of March that killed 51 people, the government will be looking at introducing new laws that make social media platforms responsible for the content that is posted. Reasons for the Law One of the most horrifying aspects of the tragedy was the fact that the shooter livestreamed the shootings on Facebook, and posted his manifesto on the platform. Facebook removed the video when asked, and they claimed to have removed versions of the video over 1.5 million times in the first day.[1] This shows the difficulty

Blog | Elder Abuse is Left in the Grey

By Yi Xin Heng The state’s duty to intervene when situations go awry for children has been imprinted in the nation’s consciousness as early as 1890. However, the same recognition has not been extended to a group who experience abuse at a comparable rate – the elderly.    Apart from experiencing a brief spike in news coverage in June (when World Elder Awareness Day is commemorated), there is hardly any momentum to demand for an urgent response. Elder abuse is only mentioned four times in the Ministry of Health’s Healthy Ageing Strategy and an arguably toothless directive to “update the

Blog | The Policy Graveyard: Where Controversial Laws Come to Die

By Jonathan de Jongh Due to continued disagreements and compromises behind the walls of the Beehive, several laws have been stopped in their tracks or have failed to even see the light of day due to party politics. The latest victim is the capital gains tax proposed by the Tax Working Group earlier this year. According to Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern, a capital gains tax will not be enacted – at least not in this current government. However, this policy has not been the first victim of politics in the lawmaking and law reform sphere, and it certainly will not

Blog | Climate Refugees: New Zealand’s New Humanitarian Obligations in the 21st Century.

By Jasper Poole In 2015, the Supreme Court of New Zealand became the unlikely scene of what is perhaps the first of many legal battles regarding the term “climate refugee”. It is this term that may identify one of the largest issues facing the world in the coming years as millions of people flee their homes and nations to seek safety across the globe. In 2007, Ioane Teitiota and his wife Angua Erika arrived on a permit in New Zealand from the Island of South Tarawa, Kiribati [1]. According to the account left by Ioane and the Immigration and Protection

Blog | The One Billion Trees Programme: Demystified

By Paul Simperingham What is the One Billion Trees Programme? The incumbent coalition government has set the goal of planting one billion trees in New Zealand by 2028 [1]. The initiative is led by Te Uru Rakau (Forestry New Zealand) and funded by the Provincial Growth Fund, a three billion dollar fund for investment in regional economic development over a three year period [2]. $240 million is allocated to Direct Landowner Grants and Partnership Grants [3]. The two grants target different groups in New Zealand, but are both intended to fund increased tree plantings – specifically 50 million trees a

Blog | The Labour Government’s Minimum Wage Ambitions: A Hindrance or Stimulus for Working-Class Incomes?

By Matt Fletcher Last December, the Labour-led Government of New Zealand announced its intention to raise the national minimum wage to $17.70 per hour, effective on the 1st of April 2019 [1]. This rise of $1.20 serves as the most substantial minimum wage increase in over three decades, and is the most recent step towards fulfilling the coalition Government’s goal of $20 per hour by 2021 [2]. The new enactments have been developed with the goal of reducing income inequality, stimulating economic growth, and making daily life easier for New Zealand’s minimum wage workers [3]. With this announcement, however, there

2019 Delegate Applications Open

The Public Policy Club is looking for dedicated students to join the club as general delegates, content writers or to be a part of our High School Civics team. You will be working alongside various teams and members of the executive committee. We welcome applications from all faculties and year levels. The following positions in dark purple are available: APPLY TO BE A DELEGATE HERE This year, we have TWO delegate categories. Team specific delegates (indicated by the smaller dark purple boxes). You’ll be working with one team throughout the year based on specific skills required in that position (see below

Applications for PPC 2019 Executive Committee

The Public Policy is opening Executive Committee positions for 2019! We are looking for passionate and self-led students to be a part of our team. In this role, you can work with other PPC team members to create content, competitions or events that increase youth engagement with public policy. You should be able to take the initiative to manage your team and your relevant projects, as well as collaborate with other teams. It’s important that you understand your commitments beforehand and can attend team and committee meetings. Every role will have delegates available to support them. There will be a

Blog | New Zealand and the Expanding Global War on Drugs

Last month’s United Nations General Assembly revealed a stark division along New Zealand party lines. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern refused to sign the US-led initiative to reduce the consumption and production of drugs. Ardern cited the incumbent Government’s intention to adopt an approach to drug policy that treats it as a health issue. The National Party’s objection to this decision, as well as their legislative efforts to employ a more punitive approach to the pressing issue of synthetic cannabis, reveal that the following few years will determine this country’s position in the international war against drugs. New Zealand’s Synthetic Cannabis

Blog | The Waka-Jumping Bill and the Revival of Unsettled Parliamentary Divisions

By Matt Fletcher The incumbent Government’s proposed Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill passed its first and second readings earlier this year and has strengthened its place as a point of contention within Parliament. The colloquially-named “Waka-Jumping Bill”, if signed into law, would seek to drastically alter the face of New Zealand’s legislature, as well as the landscape of party politics. Waka-Jumping — History and Controversies “Waka-jumping” in New Zealand refers to the act by which a sitting Member of Parliament changes their party affiliation between elections [1]. Waka-jumping is not an uncommon part of New Zealand’s parliamentary history. The practice, however, has

Suffrage 125: Reflections, and Looking to the Future

By Harshaa Prasad The Public Policy Club was honoured to host four remarkable Kiwi wahine toa last week to celebrate the 125-year anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. Dame Jenny Shipley, Helen Clark, Chlöe Swarbrick and Louisa Wall spoke to a full room at the Heritage Hotel about intergenerational change in New Zealand’s feminist movement. Reflecting on the night, PPC looks at the issues that those wahine set about answering. What have the struggles been in getting where we are 125 years on? What issues still need tackling today? Getting here: 125 years The road to gender equality in New

Blog | University Fees: Do We Have a Problem?

By Eilish Buckley Almost one year on — how is the government’s fees-free tertiary education policy doing? With many students disenfranchised about their mounting debt (worth collectively more than 15 billion dollars[1]), now is a good time to reflect on the fees-free policy that was brought into effect by the Labour government this year. Has it had a positive or negative impact on tertiary education in New Zealand? The Road to a Policy Every year, the Ministry of Education sets a cap on how much tertiary education fees can be increased for students studying in New Zealand. The government decided

Blog | Action on Climate Change: The Zero Carbon Bill

By Katie Cammell The Zero Carbon Bill was developed by Generation Zero, a national, youth-led organisation dedicated to achieving a zero carbon future in New Zealand. It aims to address the issue of climate change in New Zealand at a national level. We are already seeing the effects of climate change in New Zealand, with potentially irreversible damage to the natural systems on which we depend.  Glacier melting, together with warming oceans, has driven a rise in sea levels of around 14-22 cm at four main ports in New Zealand since 1916. From 1977 to 2016, it is estimated that

Suffrage 125: Dame Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark

125 years ago, New Zealand passed the Electoral Act 1893 and thereby became the first self-governing nation to grant women the right to vote in parliamentary elections. This landmark legislation followed years of courageous and persistent effort, injecting suffrage campaigns worldwide with hope and momentum. Since then, women have held each of New Zealand’s key constitutional positions: Prime Minister, Governor-General, Speaker of the House, Attorney-General and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The 2017 general election saw a record number of women elected to Parliament. Today, the idea that women should not vote is unthinkable. However, suffrage was merely a

Blog | The Crime of Aggression: How to Stop a War (or at Least Make Politicians Think Twice)

By Nancy Chen The Crime of Aggression In the context of international law, “aggression” refers to state conduct that either initiates war directly or drives another state to war. The Crime of Aggression makes an individual liable for an act of aggression committed by a state. As such, state actors (e.g., political and military leaders) who order the invasion of a foreign country may be guilty of the Crime of Aggression under the Rome Statute and punishable at the International Criminal Court in the Hague. This is a direct result of the 2010 Kampala Amendment.[1] The Rome Statute entered into

Blog | Should We Introduce a Sugar Tax in New Zealand?

By Katie Cammell Obesity is a growing policy problem in New Zealand. The New Zealand Health Survey 2016/17 found that around 32 per cent of adults were obese, and a further 34 per cent of adults were overweight but not obese [1]. Moreover, around 12 per cent of children were obese, and a further 21 per cent of children were overweight but not obese. According to the Ministry of Health: Although some people are more genetically susceptible to weight gain than others, the rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity in recent years has occurred too quickly to be explained by genetic

SINZ and PPC Present: Fix the Future – A Social Hackathon

Making its debut in 2018,  the “Social Hackathon” is a 2-day challenge run by Social Innovation New Zealand and the University of Auckland Public Policy Club, taking place over the weekend of 11-12 August. The purpose of the competition is to provide a platform for students to gain experience in real-world problem solving and analysis, ultimately strengthening their understanding of the needs and challenges of industry. Click here for our Facebook event for the latest updates.   SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS The Social Hackathon problems will be based on five Sustainable Development Goals, with a different company aligned to each goal.

Blog | Protection or Punishment? New Zealand Asylum and Refugee Policies Under the Spotlight

By Elzanne Bester Does New Zealand engage in contradictory policies when it comes to immigration policy and New Zealand’s stance on asylum seekers? New Zealand displays exemplary international adherence to international human rights law and exerts positive political rhetoric about refugee resettlement. However, at the same time, New Zealand also prepares for the potential storm of mass arrivals of asylum seekers by toughening immigration regulations authorising entry and eligibility for protected status. This article not only addresses the contradictory interrelationship between New Zealand’s protection and punishment policies around refugee and asylum seekers but seeks to understand the current policy around

Blog | The Growing Problem of Prisons in New Zealand

By Nancy Chen The Government has finally decided on the future of New Zealand’s oldest prison, Waikeria, with Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis announcing yesterday that a small prison will replace the current facilities.[1] This comes on the back of problems and proposals surrounding Waikeria after a report detailing its deteriorating condition was released last year. Past governments have had different approaches to Waikeria, reflective of their overall attitude to prisons and sentencing in New Zealand. Whilst these policies have various merits and shortcomings, the problems that surround our current criminal justice system require more than increasing prison capacity. Short-term and

Blog | Transport in Auckland: Prospects Under the New Government

By Matt Fletcher With the formation of the new Labour-led Government, Auckland’s congested and unsustainable transport network may see new solutions to vastly improve the lives of Aucklanders, and enhance New Zealand’s status as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. This article will discuss the merits and drawbacks of the new Government’s infrastructure plans for transport in Auckland. The Current State of Transport in Auckland New Zealand’s largest city, due to its increasing economic power and prosperity, has seen a significant rise in residents over the past few years. Auckland’s population grew by 2.6% in 2017 alone

Blog | Universal Te Reo Māori Education

By Katie Cammell In 2017, the Green Party proposed a new policy which would see all students in New Zealand up to year ten required to learn te reo Māori [1]. This policy proposal sparked huge debate and controversy, with many people asking: why should we have compulsory te reo education? History of te reo in New Zealand schools Historically, the use of te reo within schools was systematically prohibited and devalued.  The Education Ordinance introduced by Sir George Grey in 1847 required all education to be carried out in English, with the aim of converting the primary language of

The PPC Pub Quiz 2018

Semester One is coming to a close, and PPC knows no better way to celebrate than some friendly competition accompanied by a Shadow’s jug. That’s right – it’s pub quiz time. *** CATEGORIES *** We’re going back to basics with old school categories. Do you have movie trivia that none of your friends seem to appreciate? More general knowledge than knowledge relevant to your degree? Is pop culture your one true love in life? This is the event for you. We haven’t forgotten we’re supposed to be a politics club though – so expect some politics questions mixed in there

Blog | The Future of Māori Seats in New Zealand

By Eilish Buckley In the wake of the 2017 election and the loss of the Māori Party from our Parliament, the relationship between Māori constituents and government processes has been called into question. With a new bill set to be debated before Parliament that seeks to entrench provisions relating to Māori electoral seats, our society is starting to question: what place do the Māori seats have in New Zealand today? What is the Māori Roll? The Māori roll is an electoral roll for New Zealand Māori and descendants of New Zealand Māori [1]. It is an optional roll, which means

Policy Brief Competition 2018

The Public Policy Club is proud to present our 2018 Policy Brief Competition supported by the Public Policy Institute! This is a great opportunity to develop your policy brief making skills. You will be analysing a topical issue, synthesising information, evaluating competing viewpoints and making recommendations. Key details: Entry is free for all paid PPC members. Registrations open on Thursday 26 April. Submissions are due by Sunday 13 May. Not sure how to write a policy brief? We’ll be hosting a workshop on Tuesday 1 May at 5pm. For more detailed information and to register, visit the Facebook event here. And make sure

Mentoring Programme 2018

Applications CLOSE on Monday the 30th of April at 6pm   The Public Policy Club invites any students interested in working in the public sector to apply for our professional mentoring programme. Successful applicants will be mentored by professionals in the industry. This is a great opportunity to grow your professional network and gain insights into career paths in various industries from those with real experience! A launch event will be held on a night between the 7th and 11th of May, with three meetings throughout the year, and a closing function in October. To apply, follow the link –> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1VbOHNP2L81POQmhWy4P-6JaghkhCztw-dlrF1_hFJq4/edit?ts=5ad718f7

Blog | End of Life Choice Bill: An Open Conversation – ANALYSED

By Harshaa Prasad The Public Policy Club was thrilled to host David Seymour (MP) and Dr Jane Silloway Smith last Friday for a debate on Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill (click to read). If passed, the Act will legalise euthanasia for those who meet its requirements, thereby overturning legislation — namely the Crimes Act 1961 — that codifies assisted suicide as a crime. Dr Jane Silloway Smith Dr Jane Silloway Smith is the Director of Every Life, a research unit that intends to encourage a research-based approach to policy issues that are core to human life. Jane is an

Apply to be a PPC Team Member for 2018

NOTE: Applications have now CLOSED.   Can’t get enough of PPC? Join the team! Apply now to be a team member for 2018 – applications are open until the 26th of March. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdSQnidgtXPavMDFyjwStsOg8s5GtZXPwMEaCvX895MqEmksQ/viewform The roles available are: – Competitions (3 positions) – Professional Development (1-2 positions) – Civics Engagement (4 positions) – Graphics (3 positions) – Content Writers (5 positions) See below for more information  

The End of Life Choice Bill: An Open Conversation

The UoA Public Policy Club is hosting a balanced and open discussion to cover the various arguments relating to the The End of Life Choice Bill. The event will feature David Seymour, the MP who prepared the bill, and Jane Silloway Smith, director of Every Life. The bill passed its first reading in December last year, its purpose being to give “people with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying.” This event will allow two speakers of differing opinions the opportunity to discuss whether the End of Life Choice Bill is

PPC Political Forum

The PPC Civics team is piloting a new initiative this year – the political forum! Come along every second Tuesday to discuss a variety of political ideas. You can find the next available opportunity on our Facebook page under ‘events’.   We’ll provide the pizza and the topic, then you’re free to discuss as you wish. The first topic of the year was: Is Infotainment Becoming too Influential in our Consumption of Politics?   We’ll break down the topic into ideas, big & small, and you’ll have your chance to debate with others in small groups, then come together and share

Applications for the PPC Executive 2018

The Public Policy Club is looking for self-led change makers to be part of our Executive Committee in 2018. Our goal is to inspire and empower exec members to achieve the change they want to see. We want people with passion, a strong work ethic and confidence to get things done. You must have the initiative to drive your own projects and events without the need to be  micro-managed. Given the young nature of the club, there is a lot of flexibility for you to bring your own flair and ideas to the table. If you are enthusiastic about making

Policy Pizza Party

As part of our ongoing election initiatives, we hosted a PPC Policy Pizza Party on the Monday before the general election. Starting from 12 pm on the 18th of September, students came along to i-Space, ate some pizza, and read some policy. The policy sheets were A5 page prints of The Spinoff’s policy tools. Early voting on campus was also set up that week so students could go and vote after the party. This event was one of many election initiatives we ran this year, sponsored by Spark and ANZ. Red Bull also kindly donated us cans of product for students

PPC Speaker Series: Water

Following an interesting an informative event on Auckland Transport in Semester One, the Public Policy Club hosted a second Speaker Series in Semester Two. The topic for the evening was New Zealand’s water policy: “we’re proud of our environment, our “100% pure” image, and fresh water matters to us. But conversations on the topic can be confusing and complex. How do we ensure the quality of our freshwater estate on the one hand, while balancing development interests and 3 Waters infrastructure affordability on the other?” Three speakers gave substantive discussion on this topic: Sir Peter Gluckman – Chief Science Advisor to

Application for 2018 Co-President Positions

We are looking for two Co-Presidents to lead the PPC team in 2018. The process of application is as follows: Administer your interest  here.  Applications close on the 6th of October at 11 am.   You will need to attend a meeting with the incumbent Co-Presidents to discuss the role. This is a quick, informal chat to help you assess what the role entails in more detail. This part of the process is to help you. You will then officially nominate yourself before OR at our annual general meeting. At this meeting you will be required to present a short pitch of

Blog: Youth Justice – where do the bigger parties stand?

Youth justice has become a large issue this election – with each party taking a different stance on how best to rectify the problem. The four largest parties each view the problem and its solutions differently.    Who do you side with? National plan to focus on young people who commit serious offences by introducing a Young Serious Offenders (YSOs) classification. YSOs aged 14 and over who commit further serious offences will automatically be transferred to the adult court system. As a part of this, we will establish a defence-led Junior Training Academy based at the Waiouru Training Camp. Judges will be able

NZ Politicians Read Mean Tweets

This election has had its twists and turns, but one thing remains constant – people trolling politicians on twitter. The PPC is delighted to present ‘NZ Politicians Read Mean Tweets’: a showcase of some of the best (and worst) tweets about your favourite politicians, read by the politicians themselves. We love the enthusiasm, but remember, don’t just tweet! Vote! #nzelection #vote17 #september23 Music: Barroom Ballet – Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod (Licensed under Creative Commons) Articles: ‘The making of’ – The Spinoff “Watch NZ Politicians Read Mean Tweets” 1 News Stuff Newshub NZ Herald NewstalkZB Washington Post Yahoo News Montrose