Book puts farming at the centre of New Zealand’s history.
That William Soltau Davidson does not appear more prominently in our general histories reflects their neglect of the central role of farming.
Author Archives: Brian Easton
Pundit Columns on the Covid Crisis
I was writing almost weekly about the Covid Crisis during its peak of between March and June 2020. Not that I had any technical expertise in the area (in the following please allow for that) but its impact on economics areas where I had some expertise was great. Here is a list of the Pundit…
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Entering a Post-literacy World
Unlike in some other places, the New Zealand Government decided that books were not essential goods and closed all bookshops during Alert Level 4. Even during Alert Level 3 you can only buy books online.
Debunking the Egalitarian Myth
An edited extract from Brian Easton’s new book ‘Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand’.
Introduction to Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand
Published in The VUP Home Reader 2020 p.131-143
MUDDLED THINKING ABOUT RNZ.
On Sunday 9 February 2020, I drafted a Pundit column, discussing the announced proposal to downgrade Concert FM. My practice is to let columns stew before posting them – in this case the plan was to put it up on Tuesday. By Monday the policy turmoil had changed markedly and I had to make major…
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Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand
To be published by Victoria University Press in May 2020 Here is the publisher’s announcement. Here is the publisher’s description of the author.
On Bill Rosenberg
I was asked to make a short contribution at the function on 18 December 2019 for Bill who is retiring from director of policy at the NZCTU. He will continue to work on labour issues part-time.
Norm Thomson: 1934-1994
A day in Adelaide revived affection memories of an old friend and economist.
Engaging with Alan Duff
A Conversation with My Country by Alan Duff
Notes to Select Committee Considering the Zero Carbon Bill
Presentation on 26 August, 2019. The full submission is here. Summary 1. Climate change and sea level rising is one of the greatest challenges the world faces. 2. New Zealand should play its part in the world’s effort to restrain greenhouse gas emissions. 3. I broadly endorse the intention of the Climate Change Response (Zero…
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NOTES ON SOCIAL COSTS STUDIES
This note is written in response to a request about the details of how to do a social cost study on alcohol (misuse). It is written by an economist who has long been involved in the area both theoretically and practically. [1] The point of this note is that it is important to understand that…
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Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill
Submission to Select Committee reviewing the bill July 2019 Fundamental Recommendation That the 2050 target in the legislation be defined in terms of ‘net’ methane emissions rather than ‘gross’ methane emissions. Proposed Amendment That all references to biogenic methane emissions in Clause 5O be deleted. In particular the current proposed clause 5O 5O Target…
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What Happened to Egalitarian New Zealand?
Bob Scott Lecture Series on Inequality, 25 June 2019. (See also Have We Abandoned the Egalitarian Society?) What I want to do this evening is examine egalitarianism. In particular, New Zealand is a less egalitarian society today than it was when I was growing up in the 1950s. Why? How? The structure of the paper…
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What is Meant by Wellbeing?
A discussion on ‘Nights’ with Bryan Crump. 28 May, 2019 The audio is here. See also here.
Up in the Clouds
Written for a farm journal but not published
The Macroeconomic Implications of the Public Finance Act
Presentation to the Symposium: ‘Wellbeing’, Budget Responsibility Rules, and the Public Finance Act (15 April, 2019, Victoria University of Wellington) [1] Macroeconomic analysis, research, policy and forecasting is based upon two major data bases. One, provided by Statistics New Zealand, is centred on the National Accounts, but there are many additional elements. The other, which…
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Ian Francis Shirley (28 February 1940 – 20 January 2019)
The Policy Observatory 15 April 2019. New Zealand’s progressive causes have been driven by a strong sense of social justice. Ian Shirley was one of the nation’s strongest drivers. He was born in Kaiapoi and spent his early years in rural towns. His father Eric was a stock and station agent, and so the family…
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Obituary: Ian Francis Shirley
Ian Shirley (28 February 1940 – 20 January 2019) This obituary was first published in “The Policy Observatory” which Ian founded New Zealand’s progressive causes have been driven by a strong sense of social justice. Ian Shirley was one of the nation’s strongest drivers. He was born in Kaiapoi and spent his early years in…
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Eyewitness on the 1966 Wool Shock
Justin Gregory’s “Eyewitness” account of the 1996 Wool Price Shock used a lot of material from me. Here is the audio. I’ve republished the text (which is a little different in structure) to enable the search facility on the website to be used. If you’d asked them at the start of the year, most Kiwis…
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