Lindsay Mitchell

Kiwiblog has a post up about the declining benefit numbers. He's analysed the drop in numbers since December 2010. I've left this c...

According to the Minister: Latest benefit numbers reveal thousands of New Zealanders have gained financial independence by coming off we...

The graph below, from the latest Taylor Fry valuation of beneficiary liability, shows the age of entry into the benefit system for those be...

RNZ asked me to comment on Paula Bennett's release today heralding the drop in beneficiary liability due to the welfare reforms. So...

I've been away. Went to Hong Kong, Macau and China. Countries, their people and political systems, become far more interesting when ...

I posted earlier some opportunity cost examples Brian Scott provided in his critique of the living wage calculations. Kiwiblo g has now lin...

The graph below depicts the 'support ratio' for NZ over the next 46 years. The support ratio is the ratio of workers to consumers. ...

A reader sent me the following: Could these comments apply to NZ and Australia ? The top 1 percent of U.S. earners pay nearly 40 percent...

From Reason.com: A district court judge in Florida granted summary judgment for the plaintiff in a case challenging the constitutionality...

At 15.7 percent, Pacific people have higher unemployment than Maori at 12.2 percent.   Yet their reliance on benefits is low compared to M...

The current and beloved article of faith amongst leftists is rising inequality . Here's a very recent example from Boxing Day:   I...

Here's an interesting claim from a poster at the Daily Blog : Right now the minimum wage is so low that those receiving it look upon ...

Time for a break from the hand wringing promulgated by left-wing academics, politicians and media, and note some of the positive trends that...

Part of the 'poverty' proganda focuses on house size. In particular, how many children have to share a bedroom. While New Zealand...

Governments come and go with ambitious reform ideas and plans.  Treasury just keeps on forecasting numbers and expenditures seemingly reg...

Here's a passage written earlier this year by a female academic: New Zealand women are losing their human rights - the right to:  ...

The weather in Wellington has packed up so time for a bit of reading. After Colin James drew my attention to it, I thought I'd have a ...

I didn't want to blog today. But this couldn't go without comment. It's an extract from Colin James' Christmas message : ...

Social Development Minister, Paula Bennett, released a good-feel statement to end the year. Welfare reforms helping thousands get ahead...