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.… Read More Suffrage 125: Reflections, and Looking to the Future

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… Read More Blog | University Fees: Do We Have a Problem?

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… Read More Blog | Action on Climate Change: The Zero Carbon Bill

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… Read More Suffrage 125: Dame Jenny Shipley and Helen Clark

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

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

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,… Read More SINZ and PPC Present: Fix the Future – A Social Hackathon

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

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.… Read More Blog | The Growing Problem of Prisons in New Zealand

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… Read More Blog | Transport in Auckland: Prospects Under the New Government