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Working Papers
Motu working papers are research materials circulated by their authors for the purpose of information and discussion. They are reviewed, but not formally refereed. Any opinions expressed in papers are those of the author and do not represent a Motu position.
Understanding Changes in Maori Incomes and Income Inequality 1997-2003
This paper reports findings from a study of changes in Maori income levels and income dispersion between 1997 and 2003. Data from Statistics New Zealand’s Income Survey are used to describe and evaluate the main changes in the Maori income distribution in this period, which was marked by...
Dixon, Sylvia and David C. Maré. 2004. "Understanding Changes in Maori Incomes and Income Inequality 1997-2003," Motu Working Paper 04-12.
New Zealand: A Typical Australasian Economy?
We examine trend economic developments in New Zealand and in each of Australia’s six states and two territories (i.e. nine regions) in order to inform issues regarding economic policy harmonisation across Australasia. Our focus is on trend developments in GDP, population, GDP per capita and...
Grimes, Arthur. 2004. "New Zealand: A Typical Australasian Economy?" Motu Working Paper 04-11.
Regional Business Cycles in New Zealand: Do They Exist? What Might Drive Them?
We use National Bank of New Zealand Regional Economic Activity data, to identify and characterise classical business cycle turning points, for New Zealand’s 14 regions and aggregate New Zealand activity. Using Concordance statistic measures, logistic model and GMM estimation methods,...
Hall, Viv and John McDermott. 2004. "Regional Business Cycles in New Zealand: Do They Exist? What Might Drive Them?" Motu Working Paper 04-10.
Bi-Directional Impacts of Economic, Social and Environmental Changes and the New Zealand Housing Market
This report was prepared for the Centre for Housing Research Aotearoa New Zealand (CHRANZ). The aim of this study is to identify a set of housing research projects addressing two related topics. First, the impact of economic, social and environmental changes on housing in New Zealand's...
Grimes, Arthur; Suzi Kerr and Andrew Aitken. 2004. "Bi-Directional Impacts of Economic, Social and Environmental Changes and the New Zealand Housing Market," Motu Working Paper 04-09.
What’s the Beef with House Prices: Economic Shocks and Local Housing Markets
We examine the impact of shocks on community outcomes. The shocks that we examine are exogenous economic shocks which occur externally to the local community, and which are hypothesised to impact on the community. By testing the impact of these shocks on community developments, we enrich...
Grimes, Arthur and Andrew Aitken. 2004 "What’s the Beef with House Prices: Economic Shocks and Local Housing Markets," Motu Working Paper 04-08.
Quantifying Creative Destruction Entrepreneurship and Productivity in New Zealand
This paper (a) provides a framework for quantifying any economy’s flexibility, and (b) reviews the evidence on New Zealand firms’ birth, growth and death. The data indicate that, by and large, the labour market and the financial market are doing their job.
McMillan, John. 2004. "Quantifying Creative Destruction Entrepreneurship and Productivity in New Zealand," Motu Working Paper 04-07.
Maori Incomes: Investigating Differences Between Iwi
This paper investigates several factors that may be important for improving Maori outcomes, and the extent to which their importance varies by iwi. Specifically, it examines the extent to which controlling for differences in characteristics of the European population and the populations of...
Sin, Isabelle and David C. Maré. 2004. "Maori Incomes: Investigating Differences Between Iwi," Motu Working Paper 04-06.
Policy To Encourage Carbon Sequestration in Plantation Forests
Carbon sequestration in plantation forests provides the main means by which New Zealand will meet its international climate change obligations in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012). However, without active policy, forests are unlikely to contribute as much in...
Kerr, Suzi; Emma Brunton and Ralph Chapman. 2004. "Policy To Encourage Carbon Sequestration in Plantation Forests," Motu Working Paper 04-05.
What Do Endogenous Growth Models Contribute?
Endogenous growth theory is one of the mainstream economics approaches to modelling economic growth. This paper provides a non-technical overview of some key strands of the endogenous growth theory (EGT) literature, providing references to key articles and texts. The intended audience is...
Maré, David C. 2004. "What Do Endogenous Growth Models Contribute?" Motu Working Paper 04-04.
Tropical Forest Protection, Uncertainty and Carbon Policy Integrity
Tropical forests are estimated to release approximately 1.7 PgC per year as a result of deforestation. Avoiding tropical deforestation could potentially play a significant role in carbon mitigation over the next 50 years if not longer. Many policymakers and negotiators are skeptical of our...
Kerr, Suzi; Joanna Hendy, Liu Shuguang and Alexander Pfaff. 2004. "Tropical Forest Protection, Uncertainty, and the Environmental Integrity of Carbon Mitigation Policies," Motu Working Paper 04-03.
House Price Efficiency: Expectations, Sales, Symmetry,
An efficient housing market is of critical importance for individual welfare and for a well-functioning economy. We test the efficiency of this market by estimating the factors that determine both the long-run and the dynamic paths of regional house prices. Our tests use a new quarterly...
Grimes, Arthur; Andrew Aitken and Suzi Kerr. 2004. "House Price Efficiency: Expectations, Sales, Symmetry," Motu Working Paper 04-02.
Land Taxes and Revenue Needs as Communities Grow and Decline: Evidence from New Zealand
Also published as Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Working paper.
New Zealand is unusual in that nearly 60% of local services are funded from property taxes. These are a mixture of land taxes, capital value taxes, annual rental value taxes and uniform general charges. We explore the efficiency and equity of this system at both national and local levels....
Kerr, Suzi; Andrew Aitken and Arthur Grimes. 2004. "Land Taxes and Revenue Needs as Communities Grow and Decline: Evidence from New Zealand," Motu Working Paper 04-01.
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