Public servants are always frantic at this time of the year. I hear you collectively asking why? It’s nearing 30 June, the end of the government’s financial year. As such the various departments/ministries/commissions are very *busy*, throwing money around like they were the leader of the free world. The perverse incentives on government officials to …
Category Archive: Politics
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/06/19/its-that-time-of-the-year-again/
Jun
15
2009
Aid vs development
Lant Pritchett comes out strongly in favour of aid agencies that promote economic development on Aid Watch: There are many ways of providing assistance to people in poor countries that do little or nothing to produce development. While we might all whole-heartedly agree that de-worming is demonstrated to be cost-effective assistance, its impact on development …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/06/15/aid-vs-development/
Jun
13
2009
Tourism funding
Deciding how to fund tourism is tricky: On the one hand there are a fairly well-defined group of firms who gain most of the benefits. On the other hand, a large, ill-defined group of firms benefit somewhat from tourism and promotion of New Zealand as a destination is common property. Once you’ve spent money on …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/06/13/tourism-funding/
Jun
12
2009
Swine flu pandemic
The WHO has now declared the swine flu a global pandemic. There are 27,737 cases confirmed worldwide and the number is growing fast. However, only 141 deaths are confirmed, which gives the swine flu a mortality rate of 0.5%. Compared with the Spanish flu which killed about 10% of those infected it might be seen …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/06/12/swine-flu-pandemic/
Jun
12
2009
David Bain’s guilt isn’t important
Is David Bain guilty of murder? No. That’s what a jury of our peers said on far better information than we now have. Did he kill people? Possibly. Does it matter? No. Our justice system is designed to acquit people when we cannot be sure of their guilt. In its design there is an implicit …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/06/12/david-bains-guilt-isnt-important/
May
05
2009
Judith Tizzard down but not out?
I saw this in the Herald today and it got me thinking: If Ms Lee wins the byelection, the next person on National’s list, Cam Calder, will enter Parliament. Correct me if I’m wrong, but electorate seats aren’t supposed to change the total number of seats a party gets (unless you win more than your …
Permanent link to this article: http://www.tvhe.co.nz/2009/05/05/judith-tizzard-down-but-not-out/
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