Blog
War, Debt, and the Price of Empire
10 Mar, 2026
The ongoing joint strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran mark one of the most dangerous escalations in the Middle East in decades. Airstrikes have hit Tehran and other major cities, damaging infrastructure, causing power outages, and contributing to a rising civilian death toll. Reports indicate that the […]
Sovereign Money for Climate Action
25 Jan, 2026
Aotearoa New Zealand prides itself on environmental leadership, yet our climate response remains constrained by a familiar refrain: there is not enough money. Ambitious emissions targets, climate adaptation plans, and just transition strategies are repeatedly scaled back or delayed due to fiscal limits. But these limits are not purely economic […]
Kidnapping a foreign head of state isn’t strength
05 Jan, 2026
Kidnapping a head of state—any head of state—is a bad idea, full stop. And that includes the Venezuelan president. You don’t have to like him, agree with his politics, or support his government to recognize that abducting a president is reckless, dangerous, and flat-out wrong. Kidnapping isn’t some clever shortcut […]
Why Keep the Superannuation Age at 65
15 Nov, 2025
New Zealand’s universal superannuation system has long been a pillar of retirement security, providing a reliable income to older citizens and helping to prevent poverty in old age. As pressures from an aging population and fiscal sustainability grow, debates have intensified over whether to raise the qualifying age above 65. […]
Building NZ: PPPs or Sovereign Money?
11 Nov, 2025
New Zealand has big decisions to make about how we build our future — our hospitals, our roads, our schools, and our prisons. We know the country needs billions of dollars’ worth of new infrastructure over the coming decades. But one question keeps coming up: how should we pay for it? For […]
Gaza: Silence is Complicity
27 Aug, 2025
The people of Gaza are being forced to endure the unbearable: no clean water, no safe shelter, no food, no electricity, and no way out. International law is clear — civilians must be protected, aid must flow, and collective punishment is forbidden. Yet Gaza has been turned into an open-air […]
Banks Don’t Need More Favours
25 Aug, 2025
CoOperativeNZ welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Reserve Bank’s proposal to reduce bank capital requirements. As an organisation committed to advancing economic resilience, financial fairness, and cooperative principles in Aotearoa New Zealand, we strongly oppose this proposal. We believe that lowering capital requirements undermines the stability of our financial […]
Submission: Regulatory Standards Bill
02 Jul, 2025
CoOperativeNZ expresses its strong opposition to the Regulatory Standards Bill (the “Bill”), which is currently under review by the New Zealand Parliament. While the intentions behind the Bill may be to streamline regulatory processes and enhance clarity, it raises significant concerns that could have negative consequences for the regulatory framework and […]
Ending Child Poverty: the Sovereign Money Solution
20 Jun, 2025
Child poverty and hunger is devastating and the effects can last a lifetime. Let’s think outside the box to find effective ways to reduce child poverty in Aotearoa. 1. A Universal Child Benefit, Paid by the Reserve Bank Imagine every child in New Zealand receiving a monthly dividend—a regular payment, […]
Budget 2025: Time for a Radical Rethink with Sovereign Money
23 May, 2025
So the New Zealand Budget 2025 just dropped—and surprise, surprise—it’s more belt-tightening, more cuts, and more promises that somehow these austerity measures are “for our own good.” Sound familiar? While the government pats itself on the back for “fiscal responsibility,” the real cost is being dumped onto everyday Kiwis: workers, […]
