As a leading writer on economic disparities, Max Rashbrooke reflects on the way in which research helped change the public debate on the issue post-GFC – but only to a limited extent. While political discourse now openly acknowledges 'inequality', actual policy change has been limited. His talk explores the limitations of efforts to date at achieving policy 'impact', and what might be done differently in future.

Six years after the introduction of the Child Poverty Reduction Act, Max Rashbrooke looks at our collective response to the crisis of poverty. He gives an overview of the multiple economic and social foundations of poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how those systems hold people in hardship.

At this session in Tax Justice Aotearoa’s long-running Tax on Tuesdays series, Max Rashbrooke will discuss new research on the fairness of New Zealand’s tax system. Details TBC.

VUW’s Sara Salman has written a book, The Shaming State, which examines the erosion of social rights and the political use of shame against people in need (the book focuses on the United States). She discusses her book in conversation with Max Rashbrooke.

A post-Budget breakfast organised by St Peter’s on Willis Social Justice Group, Child Poverty Action Group and the Public Health Association, with support from the Public Health Communication Centre. Speakers include: Sir Collin Tukuitonga, Karanina Sumeo, Alan Johnson, Craig Renney, Shamubeel Eauqub and Max Rashbrooke.

What is the new government’s vision – and, in particular, what will it mean for economic inequality and poverty? Come and hear Max Rashbrooke – columnist, researcher and commentator – discuss these questions at this Spirited Conversations event.

How can both Auckland, and Aotearoa New Zealand, learn from the experiences of others and implement more deeply democratic processes to foster stronger community connections? Surely the ‘sweet spot’ for councils is decision-making empowered by citizen engagement and public participation? An Auckland Conversations event with Max Rashbrooke, Penny Hulse, Anne Bardsley and Mark Thomas. MC Alec Tang.

At the New Zealand Super Summit, the first session will consider the question, ‘Superannuation – a fiscal challenge or opportunity?’ The panellists will be: Professor Gail Pacheco, Max Rashbrooke, Senior Associate, Associate Professor Susan St John and Dr Bryce Wilkinson.

Max Rashbrooke chairs a Fabians panel on infrastructure comprising: Barbara Edmonds, the Labour spokesperson on infrastructure; Thomas Nash, chair of the Transport Committee for the Greater Wellington Regional Council – and a member of the Greens; and Graeme Sharman, head of government strategy and engagement for consultants WSP.

At the New Zealand Economics Forum, the tax panel will consider the topic, ‘Running tax differently’. The panellists will be Lisa Marriott and Max Rashbrooke (both VUW) and Sandy Lau (PwC).

The Fabians’ final Wellington panel for 2023 is Julie Anne Genter, Dave Armstrong and Ian Cassels. They will discuss relationships between Wellington and the new government. The session will be chaired by Max Rashbrooke.

Wellingtonian Kae Miller's extraordinary activism included living on the Porirua Tip to promote recycling, helping Jewish refugees escape Nazi Germany, and reforesting the South Coast in her 70s. What inspiration can we take from her life?

By mid-October, Wellington City Council will have completed its first citizens' assembly, only the second ever to be run in New Zealand but a democratic innovation increasingly popular worldwide. This lecture will discuss the potential – and possible pitfalls – of Wellington's latest democratic experiment.

Economies are supposed to be designed to boost living standards for all. But do they? In fact, the distribution of income and wealth, in New Zealand as elsewhere, can be profoundly uneven, and some periods of economic growth have bypassed large swathes of Kiwis entirely. This suggests we may need to redesign our economies along more egalitarian lines.

An evening for discussing how democracy can be reformed. With Max Rashbrooke, Cally O’Neil (participatory designer), Haimana Hirini (democracy advocate), and Thomas Pope-Kerr (Make It 16 campaigner). 93 Mornington Road, Vogelmorn, Wellington.

In this spotlight lecture, Max Rashbrooke and Lisa Marriott will discuss the research they completed last year on political party donations. They will outline the problems with the current funding mechanisms for political parties, provide some international comparisons and share the results of data collected during the one-year research project.

In this Free Speech Union debate, the moot is: "Be it resolved, our tax system is unfair and the wealthy must pay more." The moderator of this debate is Sean Plunket. Arguing the affirmative is Dr. Bryce Edwards and Max Rashbrooke. Arguing the negative is Ruth Richardson and Jordan Williams.

This talk will discuss the wider picture of inequality and poverty, and the government's drive to reduce child poverty and, more broadly, to enhance wellbeing for all children. It will also look at the chances of a cross-party consensus on continuing efforts to enhance children's wellbeing.

Share My Super founder, Liz Greive will host an informative evening at Auckland's Northern Club on Thursday, 23 March at 5:30pm. Journalist and author Max Rashbrooke advocates for a society where people are not just theoretically free to live the lives they want but actually capable of doing so. Dr Hinemoa Elder, a youth forensic psychiatrist, will share what she sees every day - the impact poverty, lack of choice, and hope have on the lives of young people.

Should equality, and the reduction of inequalities, be a fundamental principle of our tax system? What would that actually mean: what difference would it make to our present system? IGPS senior associate Max Rashbrooke will talk about his vision for the design of the tax system, and set the scene for election year.

Max Rashbrooke talks to Chris Perley about how wealth inequality is changing Aotearoa New Zealand, reshaping access to housing, education, social connections and power. How is wealth distributed around Aotearoa, should we be worried about it, and what’s to be done?

A WORD CHCH session with Max Rashbrooke and author, playwright and poet Dominic Hoey, whose explosive Poor People with Money captures life on the poverty line right now. They talk wealth, poverty and opportunity with Danyl McLauchlan.

Max Rashbrooke discusses Too Much Money on a panel with Nevil Gibson (NBR) and Hinemoa Elder, MCed by Tova O’Brien, at the Auckland Writers Festival.

Max Rashbrooke’s new book Too Much Money (BWB 2021) is a story of growing wealth-based disparities. Newsroom has described it as ‘a penetrating examination of the yawning wealth gap in Aotearoa New Zealand’. In this talk, Rashbrooke will discuss wealth, opportunity and class, in conversation with Massey University’s Professor Richard Shaw. Palmerston North Central Library, Mezzanine Floor. Free — all welcome.

Wealthier households tend to generate more carbon emissions than poorer ones. And economic inequality, in itself, may lead to higher emissions. In this webinar, writer and public intellectual Max Rashbrooke will take us through the connections between these two pressing issues. Photo: © Frank Schulenburg / CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Covid response, the anti-vax riot at Parliament and the invasion of Ukraine are all further nails in the coffin of the post-1990 “consensus”. And we face multiple crises – climate change, economic inequality and right-wing extremism, among others – that our current politics struggles to address. How, in Aotearoa New Zealand, can we navigate this new, uncertain world? Photo credit: Kiwichris - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

In Budget 2021, the New Zealand government announced a commitment to the development of a Social Unemployment Insurance scheme. Developed by a tripartite working group with Business New Zealand and the CTU, public consultation on this new scheme is now open. Join VUW experts as they share their insights and perspectives on the proposed new scheme, the public policy making and processes, and the economic and social impacts.

Max Rashbrooke addresses the Fabian Society about his new book, Too Much Money, which discusses the way that widened wealth inequalities are leading to profoundly different opportunities and the entrenchment of a class system in New Zealand.

The Child Poverty Action Group invites you to join an evening with journalist, author and academic Max Rashbrooke. He will provide his analysis of the Government’s 2021 budget and how it performs for children.

The Government will release its 2021 Budget on 20 May. What would a Budget look like that truly backed people working in public and community services to do their job and build a better Aotearoa where everyone can thrive?