UK & New Zealand Economist
This page contains a list of posts from my old Github Pages blog, stored here for posterity.
Hayek Essay Contest 2022: Liberalism and International Economic Integration
Published: July 21, 2022
My winning entry in the 2022 Hayek Essay Contest, run by the Mont Pelerin Society. I wrote on alternative modes of international economic integration and their implications for liberalism.
Are Rugby Players Rational Criminals?
Published: April 13, 2022
Gary Becker meets William Webb Ellis as we find out whether teams rationally respond to the incentives created by red and yellow card rules.
Why New Zealand Must Legalise Density
Published: November 19, 2021
My submission to Parliament's Environment Committee on the urgent bipartisan housing bill which would significantly expand allowable density in New Zealand's cities.
Has MMP Created Diversity?
Published: November 6, 2021
I wasn't so sure, so I tested it with data.
Sense-checking Hendy's Model
Published: September 27, 2021
A very brief sense-check of the COVID death modelling
A Covid-19 Vulnerability Index
Published: September 16, 2021
If Covid-19 gets into the community, which countries have the vaccinations and health system capacity to handle it
The Closure of Yale-NUS and What It Means
Published: August 27, 2021
Yale-NUS has been abolished. These are my thoughts.
Fonterra's Broken Arbitrage
Published: August 9, 2021
A crucial component of Fonterra's Trading Among Farmers system has been broken. And it was Fonterra that broke it.
Split Votes in the 2020 Election
Published: July 21, 2021
A brief compilation of split vote data from the 2020 election.
COVID-19: A Game of Two Halves?
Published: June 29, 2021
Developed countries tend to either have done well in initally responding to COVID-19 or in vaccinating against the disease. Has anyone done both?
Why Alumni Preferences Should Be Retained at Public Schools
Published: May 13, 2021
A recent proposal by the Ministry of Education would remove the preferences given to the children/siblings of alumni in school enrolment schemes. I submitted to the Ministry in opposition to this change.
Why Auckland Should Introduce Congestion Pricing
Published: May 2, 2021
My submission to Parliament's inquiry on the introduction of congestion pricing to Auckland. I argue strongly in favour of introducing such a system.
Is Everyone Special?
Published: April 27, 2021
Statistically testing a cliche
Is the Government as Safe as Houses?
Published: November 17, 2020
Alternatively: Why are rental yields so low? I investigate rental yields in New Zealand and why they appear to be lower/not much higher than the risk-free rate which you can earn by lending to the Government.
NZGE 2020: All the Votes Are In
Published: November 15, 2020
I look at how the various parties and their candidates performed across New Zealand's 72 electorates.
NZGE 2020: Electorate Characteristics and the Party Vote
Published: October 18, 2020
NZGE 2020: Election Night Analysis by Electorate
Published: October 17, 2020
My analysis of the 2020 New Zealand general electorate, divided by electorate, based on the results recieved on or shortly after election night.
New Zealand Education Has Failed
Published: September 2, 2018
A proposal for radical reform of the New Zealand education system.