Max Salmon is a Research Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative. He joins as a generalist, with interests in education, infrastructure, and energy.
Prior to joining the initiative, Max worked in research and policy in the private sector, and with the COVID-19 response group at DPMC. Max has a BA majoring in Classical Studies and Philosophy from Victoria University of Wellington and has recently completed an MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy at the London School of Economics.
The New Zealand Initiative has taken advantage of the tumultuous media landscape and branched out this week into news coverage. Your faithful reporter’s first task was covering the approval of the Wellington City District plan by the Minister for RMA Reform. Read more
It is time we liberalised our Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) regulations. Benefits to New Zealand would include pest-resistant crops, more productive crops and fruit, sterile pines for forestry, reduced carbon emissions, reduced agricultural methane, better healthcare products, cheaper medication, and pest control. Read more
How complex is too complex? My new report for the New Zealand Initiative, Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze, poses this question with respect to the executive branch of New Zealand’s Government. Read more
Cast your mind back to the tense post-election negotiations of last year. Despite the prolonged talks, frequent clashes in the media and ominous noises from Winston, we all knew how it would end: a three-way coalition between National, Act, and New Zealand First. Read more
Listen to Initiative Research Fellow Max Salmon and Mike Hosking discuss Max's new paper Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze.
Max Salmon on NewstalkZB Read more
Initiative research fellow Max Salmon discusses his latest report Cabinet Congestion with the NBR. Read Max's report Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze here. Read more
The New Zealand Initiative's Executive Director Oliver Hartwich and Research Fellow Max Salmon discuss Max's research note Cabinet Congestion: The Growth of a Ministerial Maze with Former Minister Stuart Nash. Read Cabinet Congestion here. Read more
New Zealand’s Executive Branch has grown to an abnormal size. The number of departments, portfolios, and ministers likely causes a suite of coordination, policy drift and resource management problems. New Zealand relies on the Executive for everything from education to roads. Read more
Research Fellow Max Salmon discusses his new report 'Cabinet Congestion' with Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich. Max explains how complicated political decision-making is in New Zealand's political system - and how it could be better. Read more
Our Research Fellow Max Salmon talks to our Executive Director Dr Oliver Hartwich about our current global foreign policy situation. They talk about the Middle East, such as the shipping through the Red Sea and the Houthi movement. Read more
James Shaw announced his resignation as co-leader of the Green Party earlier this week. Although retirement was not announced, one assumes it cannot be too far away. Read more
New Zealand is a long, narrow country with a very low population density. Air transport is expensive and passenger rail almost non-existent. Read more
The incoming government has been entrenched in drawn-out coalition negotiations. Across the table from National Party leader Christopher Luxon sit the leaders of two minor parties, both basking in the now-fading glow of recent electoral successes, eagerly eyeing their slices of the economic pie. Read more
The election has come and gone. While Wellington sits in stasis awaiting Winston’s next press scrum, New Zealanders might be forgiven for feeling that we’ve only recently been here before. Read more
The election is now firmly behind us, and the shape of the Sixth National Government of New Zealand will soon emerge. Likely coalition partners National and ACT have staunchly advocated for deregulation in their election campaigns. Read more