Rosie Collins

Keywords food safetyfoodborne infectionsoutbreaksShiga-like toxin-producing E.

Is New Zealand's social fabric fraying? While much has been written about social cohesion, there have only been sporadic efforts to measure it. Our new report, Social Cohesion in New Zealand, provides a broad thematic measure with Australian comparison. In 2024, 49% of New Zealanders agreed with positive statements that indicate social cohesion. In Australia, comparable questions gave a higher score at 56%.

When fuel prices spiked above $3 a litre, the government moved incredibly fast to alleviate the pain with a three-month cut to fuel taxes. It was an immediate solution to an immediate problem, but all it does is buy time to tackle the painful increases in living costs beyond fuel prices. If the government is serious about bringing down living costs, it should give tax relief and increase welfare payments for low-income households in the May 2022 Budget.